A soldier of Nigerian Army, Lance Corporal Nwobobo Chinoso, on Sunday killed his Commander and two others at Forward Operating Base, Rabah, in Sokoto State.

Chinoso, from the 223 Battalion Zuru, Kebbi State was deployed at Forward Operating Base Rabah.

He opened fire and killed the FOB Commander, Lt. T.I. Sam-Oladapo, two other soldiers including the Command Sergeant Major (CSM), Iliyasu Inusa and Private Attahiru Mohammed, before turning the gun on himself.

DIPLOMATIC DIARY reports that a signal on the development, stated that the incident happened on Sunday, March 5, 2023 at about 1700 hours (5pm).

The cause of incident was yet unknown but investigation had commenced, the signal said.

The signal reads: “At about 051700A MAR 23. LCPL Nwobobo Chinnoso of 223 Battalion Zuru Attached to 26 and Deployed at Forward Operating Base RABAH, opened fire and Killed the Forward Operating Base Commander Lt. TI SAM-OLADAPO, The Command Sergeant Major (CSM) SSGT Iliyasu Inusa and Pte Attahiru Mohammed, inside the Commander’s accomodation before Killing himself.”

The Commander, 8 Division Garrison and Commanding Officer, 26 Battalion were said to have visited the location, while efforts were ongoing to move the corpses to Usman Danfodio University Teaching Hospital (UDUTH) in Sokoto.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Army  said investigation into the unfortunate incident, has commenced.

In a statement by the Director of Army Public Relations, Brig Onyema Nwachukwu said the sad and rare incident occurred in the evening of Sunday 5 March 2023 at the FOB, where troops were deployed for internal security operations.

He noted that the circumstances leading to the incident could not be immediately ascertained  as the soldier who killed his colleagues also shot himself immediately.

The General Officer Commanding (GOC) 8 Division Nigerian Army, who also doubles as the Commander Joint Task Force Northwest Operation Hadarin Daji, Major General Godwin Mutkut, and other senior officers have visited the location, where he commiserated with the troops for losing their colleagues in such an unfortunate situation.

The GOC  urged them to be their brother’s keepers and report any anomaly observed amongst their colleagues in order to forestall such incidents.

He also encouraged them to remain calm and committed in the discharge of their duties.

“The authorities of the Nigerian Army are deeply concerned about this unusual and ugly development and have therefore instituted a Board of Inquiry (BOI) to unravel the circumstances surrounding the incident.

“It is envisaged that the findings of the BOI will help forestall such ugly and bizarre occurrence in the future”, he said.