April 28, (THEWILL) – An officer of the Nigerian Army battalion in Geidam community in Yobe state, Lance corporal Abdullahi Jibrin, has reportedly committed suicide.
He was said to have shot himself dead after he was arrested for allegedly working with terror group, Boko Haram.
Jibrin, a weapon instructor, was reportedly fingered in the attacks in Geidam and was later arrested around the Gashua axis.
Geidam a distance of 177 kilometres away from Damaturu, the state capital, was attacked last week.
The insurgents killed nine people in local pubs at Kornari village, while one person was killed and seven injured in an explosion that rocked a relaxation centre in Abasha ward, Gashua LGA of the state.
According to report by TheCable, a top military source, said Jibrin absconded from work for two days and was tracked by the army intelligence unit.
He said after being sighted in Gashua, Jibrin was arrested and while being taken back to Geidam, he overpowered one of his escorts and blew himself up.
“He took part in the two attacks in Yobe state. The one on April 21, where nine people were killed in beer parlours. Shortly after, it was discovered he absconded from duty for two days.
“He was very popular with his colleagues and well-liked by his colleagues because of his known competence. He was, however, sighted among the Boko Haram insurgents that attacked Geidam last Sunday.
“The Battalion CO tracked his phone and he was pinpointed at a point in Gashua, hundreds of kilometers from his supposed duty post.
“The army authorities in Gashua were intimated and the soldiers spread their dragnets. On Tuesday morning, Jibrin boarded a bus to Gombe and disguised himself, but was identified and nabbed at the checkpoint in Gashua. He was handcuffed and on interrogation revealed so many things.
“On transit to Geidam, Jibrin employed his skills as a weapon instructor, snatched a gun from one of his escorts, overpowered the other, and blew himself up.
“His revelations, however, led to the arrest of some other suspects. While many are believed to be among the troops in both Gombe and Geidam battalions.
“He was even in the intelligence corps of the NA before becoming a weapons instructor”, the source said.
The source said an investigation is still in progress to unravel other culprits who were working with him within the army.
The Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, Sector 2 Operation Hadin Kai in Damaturu, Lieutenant Anyawu Kennedy, who relayed the incident, said “Lance Corporal Abdullahi Jibrin was allegedly fingered during the last attack in Geidam and was later arrested by his commanding officer for failing out of duty.
“He later struggled and forcefully used an AK-47 rifle to kill himself.”
“A committee has been set up by the army to investigate the root cause of his death before making it public.”
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