Mourners gathered quietly around the compound, while neighbours stood in clusters, speaking in hushed tones about the incident that has sparked outrage across the nation.
Inside the apartment, the atmosphere remained heavy, with family members and sympathisers moving in and out as they struggled to come to terms with the death of the young man, who was gunned down by soldiers.
Abdulsamad Jamiu, popularly known as Kesh, had lived in the apartment for several years until the unfortunate night when the armed men whom he thought were armed robbers snuffed out his life.
A visit by Daily Trust to a quiet residential apartment in Shagari Estate, Dei-Dei, Abuja, on Monday morning revealed a scene still marked by grief and tension.
Jamiu, who had recently been retained at his place of primary assignment and was due for his passing-out parade next month, was killed in the early hours of Saturday.
His cousin, Yusuf Enesi Adeiza, who spoke at the scene, described him as disciplined, focused, and widely admired.
“He got retained where he served. His Passing-Out Parade was supposed to be next month,” Adeiza said. “He was doing everything right.”
“I used to think he was just my friend until I found out he was actually my cousin,” he said.
He described Jamiu as calm and intelligent, noting that he balanced work, study, and gaming.
“If he wasn’t studying or working, he was gaming. That’s how we spent most of our weekends,” he said.
Adeiza also recalled what he described as the victim’s unusual final moments with friends.
“He went round greeting everyone and saying goodbye. We even joked about it because that’s not how we normally part ways,” he said.
Looking back, he added: “Now it feels like he somehow knew… like he was saying goodbye for the last time.”
At the residence, residents pointed to the rear fence where they alleged that security personnel gained access by destroying the barbed wire. The main gate, they said, remained untouched.
A bullet hole was also seen on the wooden door where the deceased was said to have been. Residents said the mark was consistent with a shot fired through a closed door.
Family members alleged that the bullet penetrated the door and struck the victim inside the room.
They also claimed that after the incident, vigilantes were instructed to clean bloodstains inside the apartment, raising concerns about possible tampering with evidence.
Father alleges targeted killing
Speaking to Daily Trust, the father of the deceased, Sani Jimoh, said he suspects the soldiers may have been sent specifically to target his son.
“I suspect them for something else… like someone sent them to do it,” he said.
Jimoh said he was away when the incident occurred, he only received a distress call around 2 a.m. on Saturday from one of his daughters, informing him that his son had been shot.
He said he immediately spoke with one of the soldiers at the scene, who told him they entered the house after noticing a damaged barbed wire fence and suspected a robbery.
According to him, the officer said they entered the room after hearing movement behind a closed door and fired without confirming the identity of the occupant.
Jimoh, however, rejected the explanation, insisting there was no justification for the action.
“There was nothing like crossfire. They just forced their way in and shot him inside his room,” he said.
He added that senior military officers, including the Chief of Defence Staff, had visited the family to offer condolences and assurances of investigation.
The family is calling for an independent investigation outside military control and the prosecution of those involved.
“We demand an immediate, independent and transparent investigation,” they said.
They also called for the withdrawal of the Army’s earlier statement and a formal apology.
Community protests, calls for investigation
The incident has triggered protests in the area, with residents demanding accountability and an independent investigation.
“We started with just a few people, but when his name was mentioned, more people joined,” Adeiza said.
As of press time, the Nigerian Army had not responded to the latest allegations.
