There was a strange incidence at the Seme border on Wednesday where a soldier attached to 243 Recce Battalion Ibereko, Badagry, LCP Mahmud Sulaiman took his own life after inexplicably shooting dead a customs officer.
It was gathered through the News Agency of Nigeria that the incident occurred when the team leader was trying to retrieve the gun from Sulaiman following his strange behaviour.
“In the process of retrieving the cocked weapon from him, which he resisted, he accidentally fired a shot and the stray bullet hit one Inspector of Custom, C.N Walter.
“The customs officer, who was attached to Seme Border Area Command, was rushed to Badagry General Hospital for treatment.
“But unfortunately, the customs officer died at about 6:40 a.m. on Thursday in the hospital.
“Subsequently, Sulaiman also shot himself and died on the spot,” the source said.
NAN reported the incident occurred at about 7:45 p.m. on Wednesday at Oloko checkpoint, Gbaji on Badagry-Seme expressway.
It was learnt that Sulaiman, who was recently redeployed to the Ibereko Battalion from the Theater of Operation in the North-East, had been behaving abnormally since the assumption of duty in Badagry.
“He always cock his AK 47 rifle fully loaded with ammunition, an action that made his Team Leader report the matter to the Commanding Officer of 243 Recce Battalion, Col. Nicholas Rume, where he was serving.
“The commanding officer immediately ordered for the retrieval of the weapon from him,” he said.
Already, the Customs Public Relations Officer in Seme border, Mr Abdulahi Hussiain has confirmed the incident but assured that the situation is under control.
