Information reaching us revealed that the Nigerian Army has absolved her personnel of mayhem caused by soldier's death.
This came as it was confirmed that one of its personnel allegedly hit by a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) vehicle last Friday in Lagos, died.
News has it that although the Army gave the rank of the deceased as a lance corporal, they declined to give his identity for security reasons.
In a statement from 81 Division of the Nigerian Army on Tuesday, and reportedly signed by its spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Omale Ochagwuba, the Nigerian Army denied that personnel of the force were responsible for burning down brt vehicles along Ikorodu road Lagos.
“A lance corporal of Nigerian Army, who was on his way to the office on Ikorodu Road around Obanikoro area between 6:30 and 6:45am was knocked down and killed by a BRT bus with registration number KSF 995 XJ.
“It is pertinent to state here that the late soldier was riding a power bike approved by the state government and he was neither riding inside a BRT lane nor was the BRT bus that killed him driving inside the BRT lane.
“The innocent law-abiding soldier was killed on the normal lane being plied by everybody as against what is being alleged by some sections of the media. The soldier was hit from the rear and killed instantly.”
The Army absolved its personnel of any blame for the mayhem induced by the soldier’s death.
“The mayhem that was visited on the BRT buses was the handiwork of hoodlums who seized the opportunity of the tragic situation to vent their anger on the buses for reasons best known to them.
“We know the peculiar nature of Lagos, where miscreants always take advantage of situations like this to cause havoc. In a situation like this, people are bound to wrongfully accuse soldiers because they were seen around the offending bus which was not even attacked.
“With careful analysis of the incident, one will observe that the BRT buses vandalised were far removed from the scene of the accident.” He said.
