Soldier resorts to robbery, says he hasn’t received salary

A Nigerian soldier, who was on special assignment to fight against the Boko Haram insurgents in Mungonu Local Government Area of Borno State has been arrested alongside one other for alleged robbery and car snatching in Yola.

Parading the two suspects in Yola, the Public Relations Officer of Adamawa State Police Command, DSP Sulaiman Nguroje, said the incident happened on Tuesday at 1a.m., near the popular Target Junction in the state capital, Vanguard reported.

According to Nguroje, “the suspects accosted a lady along Target Junction and ordered her to surrender her Toyota Camry car at gunpoint, which she did.  

“Luckily enough, the matter was reported to policemen on duty along Target Junction, who swung into action immediately, in collaboration with vigilante operatives, and arrested the suspects. “We were able to recover the car, an AK-47 rifle and 35 rounds of ammunition from the suspects.”

During interrogation by newsmen, the soldier who identified himself as Dampa Hyellambamun, said he was on special operations in Monguno.

“I got a pass to come to Yola from my base in Monguno and the pass had expired since August 10,” he said. Asked why he resorted to robbing innocent people instead of defending them, the soldier said he was forced to resort to self-help because he had neither received his salary nor allowance for a long time.

He said: “I was given a gun without salary and allowance. What do you want me to do when I’m on the verge of starvation?” The two suspects, according to the Police spokesman, will appear in court as soon as investigations were completed.