Identities of soldiers who killed Yobe cleric revealed

The identities of Nigerian soldiers who allegedly killed a Yobe-based Islamic scholar, Sheikh Goni Aisami-Gashua at Jajimaji, the headquarters of Karasuwa Local Government Area of the state have been revealed.

The suspects are identified as LCPL John Gabriel and LCPL Adamu Gideon, both attached to 241 Recce Model Battalion, Nguru.

“He actually gave one of them a lift from 241 battalion in Nguru to Gashua. But one of the soldiers, John Gabriel shot him 3 times so as to take away his car. He was shot dead while his car, a red Honda Accord (Discussion Continues) was stolen.

“After he killed him, he then called his friend, Adamu Gideon to help him drive away the car but the duo have been arrested,” a source said.

Gashua was killed on Friday night near Jaji Maji, a distance of fewer than 30 kilometres away from Gashua, the hometown of the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan.

DSP Dungus Abdulkarim, spokesman for the Yobe Police Command had stated that the cleric was driving his car to Gashua from Nguru, when the principal suspect, who was in mufti and carrying a camp bed, pleaded with him for a lift to Jaji-Maji.

He said the suspects have been arrested.

“On approaching Jaji-Maji, the cleric stopped the car to urinate,” he said, adding that as soon as he returned to continue the journey, the principal suspect brought out an AK-47 and shot him twice, killing him.

Abdulkarim further stated that the suspect tried to flee with the deceased’s car but failed, as it got stuck in the mud and the vehicle failed to start.

“He put a call through to the second suspect, who drove another vehicle to the scene. Unfortunately for him, his drive shaft broke.

“The two suspects then requested help from a vigilance group in Jaji-Maji. When the group arrived at the scene to tow the broken down vehicles, incidentally Aisami’s body was found at the scene,” the police spokesman added.