- Inaccurate narratives in media regarding attack on military Hilux vehicle addressed by the army
- Clerk from 4 Brigade finance office and a driver went to repair office printer and process bank statement in the city.
- Armed gang in red Toyota Camry likely trailed the unarmed soldiers, opened fire assuming money was being transported
- Driver tragically hit by bullets in the chest, succumbs to injuries in the hospital
The Nigerian Army has announced its collaboration with other security agencies to locate an armed gang that assaulted a military Hilux vehicle in Benin City, Edo State on Wednesday. Yemi Sokoya, the Assistant Director of Army Public Relations, provided a statement offering insights into the event.
“The attention of the Nigerian Army (NA) has been drawn to a series of inaccurate narratives in the media space in respect to the attack on a military Hilux vehicle at Akpakpava road in Benin City Edo State by some armed gunmen on Wednesday 23 August 2023,” the statement read.
He clarified that contrary to rumors, a clerk from the finance office of the 4 Brigade and a driver had traveled to the city to repair the office printer. They also made a stop at a bank to process and retrieve a bank statement.
Additionally, the report stated that the armed gang, driving a red Toyota Camry, had likely been tailing the vehicle and noticed that the soldiers were unarmed. At a traffic light junction, they opened fire on the vehicle, likely assuming the soldiers were transporting money. However, upon realizing the vehicle was empty, they quickly fled the scene.
Tragically, the army confirmed that some of the bullets struck the driver in the chest, resulting in his demise at the hospital.
Although several accounts alleged that the robbers had stolen a substantial amount of money, the army refuted these claims as “completely untrue, as no money was involved.”