The tragic killing of National Youth Service Corps member Abdulsamad Jamiu in Dei-Dei, Abuja, has sparked outrage and calls for accountability, as his mother, Habiba Abubakar, detailed the harrowing moments following her son’s death. The 24-year-old was shot dead in his family’s residence in Shagari Quarters on the early hours of April 25, 2026, while his parents were away attending a burial ceremony. Abubakar, speaking to TheCable on Monday, recounted how she received a distressing call from a neighbour reporting gunshots near their home, triggering a wave of fear and confusion.
She explained that she had been away since Thursday, expecting to return on Saturday to reunite with her son. Around 2:30 a.m., her neighbour alerted her to gunfire, but her attempts to contact her children failed—her first son’s phone was off, and her daughter’s was engaged. When she finally reached her husband, he initially withheld the truth, telling her only that “soldiers carried Abdulsamad” and that they were taking him for interrogation. The moment she asked for her phone back, family members claimed they could not find it, a sign she later realized meant her son was no longer alive.
Abubakar alleged that soldiers gained entry to the compound by climbing over the fence and entering through the back door, directly heading to her son’s room. She claimed they shot him through the closed door, firing twice, and then instructed local vigilantes to clean the blood-stained scene using cleaning supplies taken from her kitchen, including Klin and a bucket. “They entered my kitchen, took Klin, from there, took a bucket and gave the vigilante to mop the blood. What happened? Why would they do that?” she questioned, visibly emotional.
The family insists Jamiu was inside his room at the time of the shooting and had no involvement in any criminal activity. “Who did he offend? I want to know. Who did you offend?” she repeated, demanding answers. The Nigerian Army, through the Headquarters Guards Brigade, initially stated that Jamiu died during a crossfire after troops responded to a distress call about an armed robbery. Spokesperson Olawuyi Odunola said soldiers were fired upon by fleeing suspects, resulting in the fatality.
However, the family has rejected this account, citing inconsistencies. They argue the bullet trajectory suggests the shot came from outside the closed door, contradicting a crossfire scenario. No weapons were found at the scene, and witnesses reported hearing only one gunshot. The family also claims soldiers admitted to a mistake in the presence of a Divisional Police Officer. In a statement, they called for an independent investigation, suspension and prosecution of those involved, a retraction of the military’s statement, and a formal apology.
They emphasized that the Nigerian Military’s constitutional duty to protect citizens was “catastrophically and fatally violated” on the night of April 25, 2026. The incident has reignited public scrutiny over military operations in urban areas and the need for transparency and accountability in such cases. The family’s demands now stand as a call for justice and systemic reform.
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