The police in Yobe State, on Tuesday, August 23, narrated how a soldier identified as John Gabriel, killed an Islamic cleric, Sheikh Goni Aisami, in the Karasuwa Local Government Area of the state.
The police spokesperson in the state, Dungus Abdulkarim, who disclosed this in a statement, said the suspect, Mr Gabriel, was arrested alongside his accomplice, Adamu Gideon, both deployed to the 241 Recce Battalion, Nguru.
“The soldiers are being interrogated for suspected armed robbery and homicide,” he added.
Mr Abdulkarim said police detectives from Karasuwa Division on 19 August, responded to a distress call and arrested Mr Gabriel, a Lance Corporal with service number N/A13/69/1522 and Mr Gideon with service number N/A13/70/6552 both attached to 241 RECCE Battalion, Nguru.
The police said one of the suspects, Mr Gabriel, “whose intention was to rob unsuspecting motorists of their vehicle left the barrack on the date in mufti having concealed his rifle in a camp bed for the military checkpoint at Nguru at about 2200hrs.
“Meanwhile, one Sheik Goni Aisami, a prominent Islamic scholar based in Gashua who was travelling alone from Kano to Gashua in his Honda accord Car with Reg. No KBT 31 AE arrived at the military checkpoint at Nguru.
“Mr Gabriel requested the Islamic cleric to offer him a lift to Jaji Maji which he obliged. That while driving and before reaching Jaji-Maji town the assailant asked him to park that there was an unusual noise at the rear tyre.
“That when the cleric came down while checking the tyre, the suspect brought out his rifle, shot and killed him, the police narrated.