Soldier stabs mechanic to death in Abuja

A yet-to-be-identified soldier has allegedly stabbed a mechanic to death in the Kugbo area of the Federal Capital Territory.

The soldier, who was in the company of two other persons, had gone to pick up his car from the mechanic when an argument suddenly ensued between them.

The soldier was said to have brought out his knife during the heat of the argument and stabbed the mechanic in his neck.

A commercial driver who plies the area and does not want to be named because of the fear of being reprimanded told our correspondent that the soldier, after stabbing the mechanic, escaped from the scene.

He added that a mob, out of anger, set his car ablaze after he absconded.

He said, “An unidentified soldier stabbed a mechanic called Chukwudi to death at the Kugbo mechanic village. Chukwudi was stabbed in the neck. The whole thing happened around 4 pm today. An argument ensued between him and the soldier and he, out of anger, brought out his knife to stab Chukwudi.

“After stabbing him, he used his knife to scare the few people who were around and escaped. Two people who came with him escaped but we learnt one of them had been arrested. After escaping, more people gathered at Chukwudi’s workshop and angrily set the soldier’s motor ablaze.”

When contacted, the FCT police spokesperson, Josephine Adeh, said one person had been arrested in respect to the death of the mechanic.

She added that peace has also been restored to the area.

Adeh said, ” One person has been arrested and normalcy has returned to the area. An investigation is also going on the matter. The corpse has been deposited at the Federal Medical Centre in Maraba.”

In a related event, According Online reported in July 2019 that the Edo State Police Command arrested a soldier, Lance Corporal Mose Oguche, who allegedly stabbed a driver to death at Okene in Kogi State.

A police source said Oguche was arrested by the combined efforts of policemen and community members who resisted an attempt by fellow soldiers to rescue their colleague from police custody.

The Commissioner of Police in Edo State, Mohammed DanMalam , who confirmed the incident, said he immediately ordered the transfer of the suspect to the state command headquarters in Benin when he learnt of it.