Three persons have been confirmed dead while 10 sustained injuries after soldiers and tricycle riders clashed in Gashua town, the headquarters of Bade Local Government Area of Yobe State.
The incident occurred near Gashua Bridge, just 2 kilometres from the town, on Sunday.
According to eyewitnesses, the clash started when a patrol vehicle of Nigerian military personnel from Operation Hadin Kai collided with a tricycle on its way to Gashua town. This collision led to injuries to the tricycle driver and passengers, which angered other members of the community.
A witness described the soldiers’ behaviour as reckless, citing their speeding and failure to comply with traffic rules.
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He said the incident escalated when the angry youths, mostly tricycle riders, staged a protest by blocking the main road to Gashua.
“In response, the soldiers reportedly started shooting, resulting in the death of one person at the scene,” he said.
Another witness, a journalist, who did not want to be named, said 10 people were injured in the shooting, with most of them sustaining leg injuries.
Two people were confirmed dead at Gashua Specialist Hospital, he added.
Captain Shehu Muhammad, the Assistant Director of Public Relations for Operation Hadin Kai, Sector 2 Damaturu, confirmed the incident and mentioned that they were awaiting detailed reports from the area’s officer in charge.
A former Senate president, Ahmad Lawan, has asked military authorities to probe the killing of three innocent civilians by soldiers in Gashua.
