• Army spokesperson blames accidental discharge
Confusion has trailed the death of a soldier, Boyi ThankGod, attached to 35 Artillery Brigade, Alamala, Abeokuta, Ogun State, who allegedly shot himself during the Armed Forces Remembrance Day.
ThankGod was said to be on barracks standby duty at the 35 Brigade headquarters during Monday’s Remembrance Day celebration when he allegedly shot himself in the head and died immediately.
Nigerian Army, 81 Division, denied that ThankGod shot himself, saying he died of negligence, having mishandled his firearm. However, sources told newsmen that the soldier killed himself due to depression and low morale.
His friends were also quoted as saying the deceased had shown loss of interest in his job and had complained of corruption in the military and low morale.
The loss of ThankGod has also raised questions about the mental well-being of soldiers and the need for comprehensive support systems within the armed forces.
In a statement, Acting Deputy Director (Army Public Relations), 81 Division, Lieutenant Colonel Olabisi Ayeni, debunked reports circulating on social media suggesting that ThankGod terminated his life due to nonpayment of Ration Cash Allowance.
He said: “The attention of Headquarters, 81 Division, Nigerian Army has been drawn to insinuations making the rounds on social media alleging that a soldier of 35 Artillery Brigade terminated his life due to nonpayment of Ration Cash Allowance.
“Having lost one of its soldiers, the authorities of the division feel deeply concerned that some mischief makers under whatever guise would employ such a sad occurrence to malign the image of the division and the Nigerian Army.
“Nevertheless, for the sake of posterity, it needs to be mentioned that the late soldier was deployed at the Brigade Standby Force on Monday, January 15, 2024, alongside his colleagues for daily cantonment duty, and they were adequately fed, in line with Nigerian Army’s standard for troops on duties.
“However, investigation into the immediate cause of the incident indicated that the deceased soldier reportedly handled his personal weapon negligently and misfired, which resulted in his death. His colleagues, who heard the sound of a gunshot, rushed to the scene of the incident, only to find the soldier in a pool of his blood with gunshot wounds to the head.
“Further investigation has since commenced to unravel the circumstances and possible remote cause of the unfortunate incident, while the remains of the soldier have been evacuated and deposited at the Federal Medical Centre Abeokuta.
“The division, through the commander, 35 Artillery Brigade, has informed the deceased’s family and also expressed heartfelt condolences and sympathy over the unfortunate incident.”
The statement added: “It is pertinent to reiterate that the division is committed to providing the necessary welfare required to boost the morale of troops under command, in line with the Chief of Army Staff Command Philosophy. Therefore, the division will not, under any guise, take the welfare of its troops lightly as wrongly insinuated.”
