By Osemwengie Ben Ogbemudia, Benin
A soldier, Lance Corporal Moses Oguche attached to the 4Brigade of the Nigerian Army, has allegedly stabbed to death a driver with a transport company, Big Joe Motors, in Okene, Kogi State.
The soldier allegedly attacked and stabbed the deceased driver, simply identified as Mr. Ogbimi, with a jack knife at about 11am on Sunday, July 21, 2019.
But the police in Edo have already apprehended the soldier, who allegedly fled after the incident.
Our reporter gathered that the driver and a mechanic, one Kekere, had gone to recover a broken down vehicle belonging to Big Joe Motors, when the unfortunate incident occurred.
It was gathered that trouble started when a towing van that was being driven by the deceased driver and a silver colour Nissan Primera marked Abuja- KWL 811-AP in which the soldier was riding scratched each other.
The soldier, who was in mufti, allegedly committed attacked and stabbed the driver to death during a spontaneous argument that ensued between them over the minor accident.
It was further gathered that after the enraged soldier allegedly killed the driver, he quickly jumped into his vehicle and sped away from the scene to escape mob attack.
But some motorists and passersby, who saw what happened, chased the fleeing killer-soldier, who finally eventually abandoned his car and ran into a bush behind a private building at Agbede town in Edo State.
He was said to have made a call to his colleagues at a military base in Auchi before he was taken into police custody along with his vehicle at the Agbede Divisional Police Headquarters in Edo State.
The situation almost went out of control, when some armed soldiers, who stormed Agbede Police Station in two Hilux vans ostensibly to rescue their embattled colleague, were prevented by residents of the community and policemen on ground from doing so.
The Edo State Commissioner of Police, DanMallam Mohammed, who was promptly notified, ordered the immediate transfer of the suspect to the state Police Command Headquarters in Benin City.
Confirming the incident, the Edo police boss assured that justice would be done in the matter, stressing that “nobody is above the law.”
“The case is under investigation. It’s a case of murder. He is a Nigerian and he is not above the law. I assure that justice will be done in this case,” Mohammed said.
The Public Relations Officer for the 4Brigade, Nigerian Army, Capt. Maidawa Ibrahim Mohammed, however, told our correspondent, who tried to inquire about the detained soldier, “How did you know that he is serving in 4Brigade? If he went to Auchi on a course, call the Army PRO in Auchi.
“Forward his name and other details to me. I will get back to you when I returned”
The Personal Assistant to one of the directors of Big Joe Motors, Mr. Jonathan, one of the directors of described the incident as unfortunate.
He revealed that the management of the transport company and the deceased’s relations had been invited by the police at the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department.
He, however, promised to reach his boss, Mr. Osayande, for further comments, but as at press time he had yet to do so.
