In Edo State on Wednesday, an army patrol vehicle was ambushed by suspected gunmen, resulting in the death of one soldier. The military vehicle, which was en route to Ikpoba Hill, was intercepted by the attackers at a traffic light on Akpakpava Road around 2:10 pm.
The assailants, driving a Toyota Camry without any distinctive marks, positioned their vehicle head-on against the army patrol. Two out of the four attackers then stepped out and fired at the soldiers.
Faced with this sudden assault, the three soldiers abandoned their vehicle, leaving behind sacks thought to be filled with cash. As they fled the scene, one soldier was injured and couldn’t continue. Witnesses report seeing him struggling on the ground, bleeding, while his colleagues, seemingly helpless, returned to his side.
A local shopkeeper recounted, “The injured soldier struggled to get up after falling. It was heartbreaking to see his comrades return to him, unable to assist.”
Captain Yusuf Sokoya, the Public Relations Officer of the 4 Brigade Nigerian Army headquarters in Benin City, when approached for a comment, asked for time to verify the incident, urging not to be contacted again and promising to provide an update. As of the time this report was filed, he had not provided further information.
Nevertheless, the state’s Police Public Relations Officer, SP Chidi Nwabuzor, confirmed the episode, stating, “A concerned citizen reported the incident to the local police. The culprits made away with bags presumed to be filled with cash from the army vehicle.”
