The Commander, 105 Composite Group of the Nigerian Air Force in Maiduguri, Air Commodore Charles Ohwo has described as untrue the rumour making the round in Maiduguri, alleging rape of a woman and murder of a man believed to be her father by one Corporal Kamal Usman, an Air Man under the ongoing operation Lafiya Dole in the northeast.
Air Commodore Ohwo told Journalists in Maiduguri, on Thursday, that, although the matter is still under investigation, the story is not related to the rumors being peddled.
Our Correspondent reports that, a sixty year old man, Ibrahim Bulama, was said to have been beaten to death by men of the Nigerian Air Force over a woman of easy virtue suspected to be their girlfriend at a red light district in Galadima area of Maiduguri, the Borno state capital.
However, while briefing journalists on the issue, the Commander, 105 Composite Group, Air Commodore Charles Ohwo insists that, the Nigerian Air Force is in Maiduguri to play it role in the ongoing military operation and would not allow matters of such nature to tarnish the good image of the Air Force.
The Commander said, “From the report we have, the Soldier was on his way home from his duty post at about 10pm when he came across certain group of people who gathered around Okona Hotel. On sighting the soldier, they all took to their heels. However, the Soldier, out of curiosity wanted to find out what was going on, and went into the hotel to check the rooms.
” While he was inside, and at one of the rooms, he saw a woman inside and an old man appeared behind him. The others who also came and attacked the Soldier, collected his rifle and tried to hack him with cutlasses. He however, managed to escape and later returned to the house with his colleagues to retrieve his rifle. In the process, they beat up the old man (one Ibrahim Bulama Awusa), who unfortunately died.”
The Commander said, the Air Man who is currently receiving treatment is also under investigation to ascertain his claims, while his colleague is being held in the guardroom pending the outcome of the investigation.
He also appealled to the general public to be calm, saying the case will be thoroughly investigated, and whoever is found guilty will be punished accordingly, as the Nigerian Air force is a credible organization which does not want its name to be dragged into the mud.
It could be recalled that residents around Galadima Ward have claimed that, the soldier was caught trying to rape a woman believed to be the daughter of the said old man, but the man was killed during the struggle with both the Soldier and his colleague.
Comments