Troops of the Joint Task Force North West Operation HADARIN DAJI (OPHD) have k!lled their colleague, James Kingsley after he opened fire and killed one of his senior officers.
The officer killed by Kingsley – a Second Lieutenant – was identified as OC Ukachuckwu (N/19548)).
A military source who confirmed the tragic incident said it happened on Sunday at about 6:05 pm.
James was said to have gone berserk at the Forward Operational Base in Magami, Sokoto and opened fire, killing Ukachuckwu before he was killed by other soldiers.
Some of his colleagues were also injured during the incident.
They are currently in stable condition in the hospital.
A military signal exclusively obtained by SaharaReporters confirmed the incident.
The signal signed by Major MD Mikaailu read, “I TXT(.) SPECIAL SITREP (.) INCIDENT REPORT (.) AT ABOUT 041805HRS(.) WHILE ON STAND TO PERIOD 03NA/53/1572 CPL JAMES KINGSLEY FROM 26BN ATT TO TEAM 3 FOR OPHD FIRED 2LT OC UKACHUKWU (N/19548) AT TANGO 2 FOB MAGAMI (.) THE SLDRS WENT ON FIRING EVERYONE ON SIGHT(.) AND HE WAS GUNNED DOWN BY FELLOW SLDRS PRESENT AT THE TANGO(.) BOTH LATE OFFR AND SLDR WERE RUSHED TO MAGAMI GEN HOSP WHERE THE OFFR WAS CONFIRMED DEAD(.) SIT WITHIN OWN FOB IS UNDER CON (.) SY SIT REMAINS CC (.) OTHERWISE NTR (.)DETAIL LATER (.) PSE ACK///.”
There have been public concerns recently over the state of mental health of Nigerian soldiers, particularly the ones fighting terrorists in the North-East.
In March 2023, a soldier fighting Boko Haram insurgents in the North-East opened fire on his colleague and killed him.
The deceased soldier was identified as Private Diko.
According to military sources, the duo belonged to Operation Desert Sanity and joined the army in 2020.
The incident occurred in Ngoshe, Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno state.
“They were having an argument and before you know it, he killed him (Diko). Both being 20NA were posted to 103 battalion Enugu but were moved to Borno to fight the Boko Haram insurgency,” a military source had informed SaharaReporters.
Also in 2023, another soldier identified as Lance Corporal Nwobodo Chinoso, shot dead the Commander of the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Rabah in Sokoto State, Lt. Sam Oladapo.
Chinoso also shot the FOB Rabah Command Sergeant Major (CSM), Sgt. Iliyasu Inusa, and another private soldier, Attahiru Mohammed, after he had killed Oladapo.
After shooting his colleagues, he thereafter committed suicide by shooting himself.
