We Want Justice’, Says Family Of Slained Corper, Rejects Army’s Account

The family of a National Youth Service Corps member, Abdulsamad Jamiu, has rejected the Nigerian Army’s account of the circumstances surrounding his death in Dei-Dei, Abuja.

The family insisted that the 24-year-old was shot by soldiers inside his home and not caught in crossfire as claimed by the military.

NAIJAONPOINT had reported that the Headquarters Guards Brigade, Nigerian Army, had said that Jamiu was caught in a crossfire on April 25 when troops responded to a distress call from residents reportedly under attack by armed robbers.

In a statement on Saturday, the brigade’s spokesperson, Odunola Olawuyi, said troops responded to a distress call about an armed robbery and came under fire from fleeing suspects, stating that Jamiu’s death occurred during the security operation.

“Upon arrival, the troops came under gunfire from the fleeing armed robbers, resulting in a brief but intense exchange. In the course of the engagement, Mr Jamiu was caught in the crossfire,” Olawuyi said.

The brigade described the incident as “tragic,” adding that efforts were made to secure the area and protect residents, but Jamiu later died from his injuries.

However, in a detailed rebuttal issued on Monday, the family described the Army’s version of events as “false, misleading, and an affront to the memory of an innocent young man.”

“This statement is issued in direct and formal response to the account of events published by the Nigerian Military, which the family categorically rejects as false, misleading, and an affront to the memory of an innocent young man,” the statement read.

The family stated that Jamiu was killed in the early hours of April 25 at his residence in Dei-Dei Shagari Quarters while his parents were away.

According to the family, soldiers entered the premises around 2:00 a.m. and shot him through his bedroom door, adding that Jamiu’s sister was in the house at the time, while their parents were away in Okene for a burial ceremony.

The family added that Jamiu’s sister, upon hearing the gunshot, rushed downstairs but was told by the soldiers to go outside and “calm down”.

“The trajectory of the bullet… conclusively establishes that the shot was fired from outside the room, through the closed door,” the family said, adding that this “is not consistent with a firefight” but rather “consistent with military personnel discharging a lethal weapon at a person they could not see.”

The family also disputed the Army’s claim of an exchange of gunfire with suspected robbers, noting that no weapons were recovered and no evidence of a shootout was found.

“An exchange of gunfire presupposes an adversary who is armed and actively firing. No such adversary has been identified. No weapon was recovered from the scene,” the statement added.

They further alleged that soldiers entered the compound covertly by scaling the fence rather than through the gate, raising questions about the legality of the operation.

“This is not the entry pattern of a unit responding to an active armed robbery in lawful hot pursuit. This is the entry pattern of a covert, unannounced, and unlawful forced entry into a private residence,” the family said.

According to the family, residents and vigilante members in the area reported hearing only a single gunshot — the one that killed Jamiu.

“Every witness is consistent on one critical point: the only gunshot heard that night was the shot fired inside the Jamiu family residence,” they said.

The family also claimed that soldiers at the scene admitted responsibility for the killing, describing it as a mistake.

“The soldiers acknowledged that the killing of Abdulsamad Jamiu was a mistake. They admitted that they had killed an innocent person,” the statement said, noting that the admission was made in the presence of a Divisional Police Officer and documented.

The family raised concerns over alleged attempts to tamper with evidence, claiming vigilante members were instructed to clean the scene.

“Vigilante members were instructed by the military personnel to mop up the blood and flush it,” they said, describing the directive as raising “grave questions” about evidence preservation.

They called for answers from the military, including the identity of the commanding officer involved, the source of the alleged robbery report, and why force was used without confirming any threat.

Among their demands are “an immediate, independent, and transparent investigation,” the suspension and prosecution of those responsible, a retraction of the Army’s statement, and a public apology.

“The Nigerian Military operates under a constitutional mandate to protect Nigerian citizens. On the night of 25th April 2026, that mandate was catastrophically and fatally violated.

“The family does not seek vengeance. The family seeks justice. Justice requires truth. Justice requires accountability,” the statement read.