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The Nigerian Army has finally confirmed that the killer of a commercial motorcyclist in Abia State on Wednesday is a soldier attached to Forward Operations Base Ohanze.
The confirmation came in a press release issued on Saturday after the Army had initially disowned the killer, saying the motorcyclist identified as Chimaobi Nwogu must have been killed by a cultist wearing an army T-shirt.
The army identified the killer-soldier as Lance Corporal Ajayi Johnson.
It was gathered that Johnson trailed Nwogu to his family house at Umuokereke Ngwa community near Aba and shot him dead for refusing to part with N100 bribe at a military checkpoint at Ohanze in Obingwa Local Government Area of Abia.
Nwogu, a 30-year-old motorcyclist, left behind two children, a pregnant wife and an aged mother.
According to the statement signed by Colonel Aliyu Yusuf, Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, 82 Division, “further investigation on the incident revealed that Lance Corporal Ajayi Johnson one of the soldiers deployed at Forward Operations Base Ohanze for security duty absconded his duty location to an unknown destination and was reported to have been involved in a scuffle that led to the shooting and killing of the Okada rider Mr Chimaobi on Wednesday 7 August 2019.
“The soldier was casually dressed in camouflage T-shirt which led to the initial suspected identity of the culprit as a cultist.”
The army said the culprit has been arrested and detained, and that disciplinary procedure is in progress.
“He will be tried according to extant military law and if found culpable will be dismissed and handed over to the Civil Police for prosecution.” it said.
It added: “The Nigerian Army deeply regrets this unfortunate incident and pray for the repose of the soul of the deceased, We also pray that the almighty God will strengthen his family, loved ones and the entire Abians for this irreparable loss.”