Court has sentenced Private Azunna Maduabuchi, to death by firing sqaud for killing his superior who newly got married prior to his death.
Maduabuchi was said to had fired eight shots at his commander, Lieutenant Babakaka Ngorgi of the 202 Tank Battalion while on the phone with his newly wedded wife on July 21, 2020 killing him on the spot.
He was said to had embarked on the shooting spree shortly after the troops returned from scanning the environment to wade off Boko Haram terrorists.
The Nigerian Army confirmed the killing of the officer in a statement issued shortly after the ugly incident, by the Acting Director Army Public Relations, Sagir Musa.
The statement reads: “A trooper of the Nigerian Army serving in 202 Battalion of 21 Special Armoured Brigade Bama, Borno State, went berserk at about 1030 hours on the 29th of July 2020 and fired at an officer (a Subaltern) which led to his death.
“The incident happened when the soldier approached the officer who was standing in front of the Unit’s Headquarters making a phone call. The soldier has been arrested, he is in custody undergoing investigation. General situation in the unit is calm.”
He noted that the remains of the deceased officer has been evacuated to 7 Division Medical Services and Hospital.
Adding: “Investigation into the case has since been instituted to determine the circumstances that led to the unfortunate incident.
“The family of the deceased has already been contacted.The Nigerian Army sympathizes and condoles with the family at this trying moment, and pray to the Almighty God to repose the soul of the departed and grant his family and other loved ones the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss. May his gentle soul rest in peace”.
However, Maduabuchi was on Tuesday, January 12, 2021 sentenced to death by firing squad after he was found guilty at the court session held at the Maimalari Cantonment, Maiduguri.
This, according to the court, is in accordance with Section 106 of the Armed Forces Act.
Some of his colleagues who witnessed the shooting said: ” We were all shocked because we did not expect that such a thing could happen at that moment. Soldiers and officers were in a sad mood to the extent that they wanted to go and kill the shooter in the guardroom but the Brigade Commander ordered that they should not kill the guy.
“Later, we tried to verify if there were issues between them but nothing personal was established. We only found out that the soldier’s bank account had been blocked for several months so he could not collect his office allowance and salary. He had been complaining that he was also not even given a pass so he could go out. We are in a sad mood already here,” one of them stated.