A Nigerian Army Private recently redeployed from the Borno frontline has been detained after allegedly shooting a superior colleague, Sergeant Suleiman, three times following an argument at a retired General’s residence in Kano.
A fatal shooting incident involving two Nigerian Army personnel has occurred at the residence of a retired General in Kano State, leaving a senior non-commissioned officer dead. The victim, identified as Sergeant Suleiman, was allegedly shot three times by a subordinate Private as he emerged from a restroom following a heated argument between the two men. Military sources indicate that the suspect, a member of the 21NA intake, was caught on CCTV footage committing the act. “Both of them were guarding the residence of a retired General in Kano. The deceased was a Sergeant while the suspect is a Private from 21NA. The CCTV footage reportedly exposed him. They had an argument, after which the Sergeant entered the restroom. As he was coming out, the Private allegedly fired at him three times,” a source revealed.
The suspect was reportedly a recent transferee from the Northeast, where he had been actively engaged in the counter-insurgency operations against Boko Haram. Fellow soldiers confirmed the suspect’s previous deployment to Borno State, sparking renewed concerns within the military hierarchy regarding the psychological toll of prolonged frontline service and the adequacy of mental health evaluations during troop rotation. “I know this accused soldier from Maiduguri, but I can’t remember his name. He is a Private and from 21NA,” another military source stated, adding that the lack of proper “decompression” or psychiatric support after intense combat tours often contributes to such violent outbursts.
This incident mirrors a growing and disturbing trend of internal violence within the Nigerian Army, often linked to battle fatigue, poor welfare, and claims of systemic corruption. In a similar case in 2023, a soldier identified as Private Diko was killed by a colleague in Borno State following a minor disagreement. Soldiers have frequently lamented overstaying in war zones and the high-pressure environment of the anti-terrorism war, which some say erodes morale and discipline. “They were having an argument, and before you know it, he killed him (Diko). Both being from 20NA were posted to 103 Battalion in Enugu but were moved to Borno to fight the Boko Haram insurgency,” a source recalled, emphasizing the urgent need for structural reforms to address the mental well-being of the rank and file.
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