Army summons Edo commander as soldiers ‘beat’ policewoman’s son to death

The Nigerian Army has summoned one of its Guard Commanders in Edo State over the death of Christian Ehima, a 24-year-old undergraduate of Computer Science in the University of Benin.

The inconsolable mother of the victim, an Assistant Superintendent of Police with the Delta State Police Command, Mercy Ehima, told Saturday PUNCH that her son was tortured to death by some soldiers at the Railway Checkpoint in Igbanke, Edo State.

Mercy said her son was travelling to a village called Ewesa in Edo before Benin on Friday, December 10, 2021, and had unknowingly boarded a kidnappers’ vehicle.

According to the 53-year-old widow, the kidnappers stumbled on the soldiers’ checkpoint and reversed immediately.

“My son said he jumped down from the vehicle in the process and ran into the bush. He said he sent me a text message in the bush but I didn’t come. He said as he was proceeding in the bush, he saw a big snake and jumped out of the bush. He (Christian) said he ran to the Army checkpoint, which was about four poles away. He said he thought the soldiers would come to his aid but as he was about to narrate his ordeal to them, they kicked him and he fell on the ground and they started to hit him,” the grieving widow told our correspondent amid sobs.

Mercy said she met her son in a pit by the checkpoint and rushed him to the hospital but the young adult died hours later of internal bleeding.

Army has no room for abusive officers —Spokesman

When contacted, the Director of Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, told Saturday PUNCH that investigation had commenced into the matter, adding that the military has no room for

Nwachukwu said, “I’ve just contacted my PRO (Public Relations Officer) in Benin and drew his attention to it. He said he has also contacted the Police PRO there.

“The woman actually serves in Delta State and investigation had commenced from their own end there. The Guard Commander (the head of those soldiers at the checkpoint) has been invited to issue a statement.

“Investigation had commenced and we will get to the bottom of this. Just like the female soldier that abused the youth corper, it was properly investigated and the officer was dealt with, we can’t cover up such people, we don’t have a place for such people in the system if it really happened.” (Sunday PUNCH)