Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Nigerian Army has confirmed the death of a serving National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member, Abdulsamad Jamiu, who was killed by a stray bullet during a security operation in Abuja early Saturday morning. However, as the military initiates a probe into the incident, fresh eyewitness accounts and the family's desperate plea for justice have cast a shadow of doubt on the army’s official narrative, pointing to a tragic and potentially avoidable death.
The incident occurred in the early hours of April 25, 2026, at Shagari Estate in the Dei-Dei area of the Federal Capital Territory . According to an official statement from the Headquarters Guards Brigade, troops from its Quick Response Group were on a routine night patrol when they responded to a distress call about armed robbers attacking the estate . The army claimed that upon arrival, the soldiers came under fire from the fleeing suspects, leading to a brief but intense exchange . It was during this alleged crossfire that Mr. Jamiu, a corps member who was about to complete his service, was fatally struck. “In the course of the engagement, Mr Jamiu was caught in the crossfire,” the statement read, extending condolences to his family .
However, a closer examination of the facts contradicts the military’s version of events. Mr. Jamiu was reportedly inside his own room at Shagari Quarters when he was killed, not caught in a random exchange of gunfire on the street . Contrary to the soldier's official statement, a friend of the deceased, who spoke with Vanguard, alleged that soldiers stormed the house, shooting sporadically, and entered the building where the NYSC member was staying, killing him instantly. His crushed cranial shell is a grim testament to the brutality of the attack. One viral social media post, which has since been shared thousands of times, claimed that the soldiers "shot and blew his head claiming it was a mistake" . The platform Nigerian Armed Forces Diary on Facebook also called for an immediate investigation, stating that the corps member was inside his room when soldiers shot him .
As the family prepares the body for burial, the contradictions between the military's official statement and the family's own knowledge of the events have left them not just in grief, but in a desperate search for the truth. A source close to the family has vehemently contested the army's account, describing the military explanation as a cover-up and a lie designed to shield the perpetrators from accountability. “Jamiu was not caught in any crossfire with robbers,” the source told The Cable. “The soldiers came shooting and killed him. This story of armed robbers and crossfire is a lie to cover what really happened” . Residents and human rights groups are now demanding an independent investigation beyond the military’s internal review .
The Nigerian Army has stated that a full investigation has been launched to determine the exact circumstances surrounding the incident and assured the public that its findings will be made known . They have handed over the remains of the late corps member to civil authorities at the Kubwa General Hospital . The Guards Brigade has reaffirmed its commitment to the protection of lives and property in the FCT and stated that its operational procedures will be reviewed to enhance civilian safety . However, these official reassurances have done little to calm the growing public outcry. The late Abdulsamad Jamiu was a final-year student of the University of Maiduguri who was serving his fatherland and was at the verge of completing his national service. His mother’s poignant cry for justice is a stark reminder that a young life has been cut short, and for her, no statement or promise of a probe can bring back her son.
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