Akenleye Femi, a Nigerian soldier and Lance Corporal of the 221 Battalion, stationed at the Wawa Cantonment in Niger State, has allegedly killed his wife before taking his own life.
The bodies of the Lance Corporal and his wife were discovered by neighbours in their apartment at Block 15, Room 24, Corporal and Below Quarters.
According to the Nigerian Army, the incident, which occurred inside the barracks, has left residents in shock, as an investigation has commenced to determine the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.
The Army disclosed this in a statement released on Sunday by Captain Stephen Nwankwo, Acting Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, 22 Armoured Brigade, Ilorin.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the soldier, who was on duty at the time, had sought permission from his superior to attend to personal matters shortly before the tragic discovery was made.
The Army noted that the remains of the deceased have been preserved, while a thorough investigation is ongoing to establish the cause and sequence of events.
“The Nigerian Army deeply regrets this unfortunate development and commiserates with the family, colleagues, and friends of the deceased over the painful loss,” the statement read.
The Commander, 22 Armoured Brigade, Brigadier General Barkins, assured that the incident would be thoroughly investigated and the findings made public.
He also pledged that necessary measures would be taken to prevent future occurrences of such tragedies within military formations.
The Nigerian Army appealed for public understanding and cooperation as it works to uncover the full details of the incident.
