The murder of final year student of the University of Calabar, Mr. Gray Agbesu, on Friday 9 July 2021 by a serving soldier deployed on duty at the Calabar Correctional Service facility, has caught the attention of the Nigerian army.
According to a communique by Army Spokesman, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, on receiving the information, the soldier was apprehended by troops stationed in Calabar, while he was trying to flee out of the town to evade arrest.
General Nwachukwu said the soldier is currently in military custody, adding that an investigation has commenced to ascertain the circumstances that led to the killing of the student.
“The Commander 13 Brigade has visited the scene of the incident and addressed the youths. He assured them of the commitment of Nigerian Army authorities towards ensuring that justice prevails in the unfortunate incident.
“The Brigade Commander has also paid a visit to the family of the deceased, where he reiterated the Army’s resolve to ensure that the family gets justice over the killing of their son. The Commander has equally visited the Cross River State General Hospital, where the remains of the deceased was deposited.
“The Nigerian Army remains a disciplined and professional organization and will not condone such unprofessional conduct by any of its personnel. The Nigerian Army will continue to operate within the ambit of the law, hence, would not tolerate any act of infringement on the fundamental human rights of citizens by its personnel,” the General’s communique partly reads.
It further noted that the army assures the family and the community, that the soldier will be duly investigated and made to face judicial processes as deemed appropriate by the law.
