Soldier kills fuel attendant in Niger

A fuel attendant with the A. Y. Ashafa Filling Station near Obasanjo Commercial Complex, Bosso Road, Minna has been reportedly shot dead by a personnel of the Nigeria Air Force Base, Maikunkele, Minna, Niger State.

Multiple sources told Daily Trust that soldiers had a misunderstanding with the Station Manager, which escalated to a physical fight between the manager, his boys and the soldiers.

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Angered by the soldiers’ behaviour, one of the fuel attendants reportedly slapped one of the soldiers and injured him with a knife while he also threatened him with a cutlass.

Eyewitnesses also said one of the soldiers was stabbed by the fuel attendant, causing his colleague to pull the trigger and shot the fuel attendant who was said to have died immediately.

Daily Trust gathered that the soldiers who were on official engagement had gone to take fuel at the filling station, which was said to be their regular service station each time they were on assignment.

The attendant was reportedly confirmed dead at the Minna General Hospital but a staff of the hospital who didn’t want his name published said the boy died before arriving at the hospital.

An insider in the Nigeria Air Force said it was an accidental discharge, stating that the personnel intended to fire the shot to the air to dispatch people when his colleague was stabbed by the fuel attendant.

Efforts to hear from the station manager were not successful when our correspondent visited the filling station as it was shut while the manager was said to have left.

Niger State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Wasiu Abiodun, confirmed the incident.

He and said investigation into the incident had commenced while tactical teams had been deployed to the area and normalcy was restored.