Hunger protest: Soldier’s bullet pierced my brother’s throat, says sibling

The Tragic Death of Ismail Muhammad

The people of the Samaru community in the Soba Local Government Area of Kaduna State are mourning the loss of 16-year-old Ismail Muhammad, who was allegedly shot dead by soldiers on the first day of the nationwide hunger protest.

Our correspondent, who visited the community and the home of the slain teenager last Thursday, reported that the atmosphere was enveloped by sadness.

Eyewitness Account

An elder brother of the deceased, Muhammad Abubakar, provided an eyewitness account of the incident. He stated that Ismail, a fashion designer and a JSS 3 student of the Government Secondary School Samaru, Zaria, was shot inside their compound at Samaru, a suburb of Zaria city.

When our correspondent visited the family at Samaru, Zaria, he observed that the sad incident left his parents and relatives in shock as neighboring residents gathered in circles discussing the matter.

Tragedy Strikes

Narrating how the tragedy unfolded, Abubakar said, “We were all outside, including some of our neighbors, watching what was happening when we saw a soldier in our area. Everybody ran inside; I was the last person to enter the house and I locked the door.

“Later, I heard two gunshots, and then my second sibling, Usman Muhammad, shouted that soldiers had killed Ismail. I went to the door and peeped. There, I confirmed that Ismail was shot, but I could not go to where he was. The soldier fired another shot at the door.”

Abubakar said after the soldiers left the area, “some of our neighbors came knocking at the door.”

“I opened the door, and I saw that he (Ismail) was shot in the throat and in the back, around his spinal cord.

“I carried him and started rushing to the hospital. On our way, I saw two soldiers and while I was telling them they killed my kid brother, some soldiers stationed around the market square came with a Hilux van and nearly hit us but I crossed a gutter and left Ismail’s body there. After then, I don’t know what happened again,” Abubakar stated.

According to him, Ismail was at home and never participated in the ongoing #EndBadGovernance protest.

“We’re calling on the government to ensure justice and fairness for Ismail who was brutally killed,” the brother said.

Visit from the Emir

During Thursday’s visit, our correspondent reported that the Emir of Zaria, Alhaji Nuhu Bamalli, visited the family of the victim.

“We have talked about this already, that virtually everybody in this country is aware of the harsh economy.

“Protest that’ll lead to vandalism of people’s property and loss of life is what we’re running away from. Everybody is disturbed by the sad incident coupled with the banditry activities. Our farms are not accessible because of bandits and these bad incidents are happening virtually every day,” the Emir lamented.

He called on residents to synergize with security forces to ensure bad elements did not infiltrate their communities.

The Emir also commended the Nigerian Army for raising a commission of inquiry to unravel the circumstances surrounding Ismail’s killing, so that justice can be served to the deceased and the family.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Analysis

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions
• SDG 2: Zero Hunger

The article discusses the killing of a 16-year-old boy during a nationwide hunger protest. This connects to SDG 16 as it addresses issues of justice and strong institutions, particularly in relation to the alleged involvement of soldiers in the shooting. Additionally, the mention of the hunger protest highlights the issue of hunger, which is directly related to SDG 2.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• SDG 16.1: Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere
• SDG 2.1: By 2030, end hunger and ensure access by all people, in particular the poor and people in vulnerable situations, including infants, to safe, nutritious, and sufficient food all year round

The article highlights the violence and death of the 16-year-old boy, which aligns with the target of reducing all forms of violence and related death rates (SDG 16.1). Additionally, the mention of the nationwide hunger protest raises awareness of the issue of hunger, which connects to the target of ending hunger and ensuring access to safe and nutritious food for all (SDG 2.1).

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Number of deaths due to violence
• Access to safe and nutritious food

The article mentions the death of the 16-year-old boy as a result of violence, which can be used as an indicator to measure progress towards SDG 16.1. Additionally, the mention of the hunger protest implies a lack of access to safe and nutritious food, which can be used as an indicator to measure progress towards SDG 2.1.

4. Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: punchng.com