How Islamic cleric was killed by ‘soldier’ he offered ride in Yobe

Goni Aisami, an Islamic cleric, has been killed by a gunman suspected to be a soldier in Yobe state.

Dungus Abdulkarim, the state police spokesman, told NAN the incident occurred at about 10pm on Friday after Aisami gave a ride to a person who claimed to be a soldier attached to the 241 Recce Model Battalion, Nguru.

He said Aisami was heading to Gashua from Nguru when the suspect asked him for a lift to Jaji-Maji.

Abdulkarim said upon approaching Jaji-Maji, the cleric stopped the car to urinate and as soon as he returned to continue the journey, the passenger shot him thrice with an AK-47.

He said the suspect tried to flee with the deceased’s car but failed, as it got stuck in the mud and the vehicle failed to start.

“He put a call through to the second suspect, who drove another vehicle to the scene. Unfortunately for him, his drive shaft broke,” the spokesman said.

“The two suspects then requested for help from a vigilance group in Jaji-Maji.

“When the group arrived the scene to tow the broken down vehicles, incidentally Aisami’s body was found at the scene.”

Abdulkarim said it was the vigilance group that alerted the police, adding that the suspects have been arrested.

He said the police have recovered the gun and that the suspects would be prosecuted after the completion of the investigation.

Meanwhile, Bulama Bukarti, an analyst and human rights lawyer, called on the government to ensure that justice is served in the matter.

“The beasts must be brought justice swiftly and the government must pay his family full compensation,” he wrote on Twitter.

“That’s because the killer used his position & gun as a soldier and it was the negligence of the authorities that allowed him leave the barracks with a gun when he wasn’t on duty.”

Shaykh Goni Aisami was the most popular Muslim cleric in Gashu’a, my hometown. He’s killed on Friday by a soldier who claimed to be on duty & begged for a lift from Nguru to Jajimaji town. On their way, the soldier stopped & shot him 3 times and dumped his body to steal his car. pic.twitter.com/2yLqxPwsNI

— Bulama Bukarti (@bulamabukarti) August 21, 2022

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