Kaduna in turmoil as soldier shoots truck driver over N200

isaac

June 16, 2015 4:43 PM

A truck driver nearly lost his life after he was shot by a soldier at a check point in Kaduna State for refusing to offer bribe.

The Zaria-Kaduna Expressway

A truck driver, Abdul Saminu, is currently battling for his life after an unknown soldier allegedly fired bullets at him for failing to part with the sum of N200 when he was stopped on his way while conveying potatoes from Zaria to Kaduna.

The shooting of the driver led to serious turmoil and pandemonium as other truck drivers plying the route used their vehicles to block both sides of the Zaria-Kaduna Expressway to protest against the shooting of their colleague, leading to a gridlock in the town.

According to an eyewitness account, the truck driver ran into troubled water on reaching the military checkpoint at the toll gate and was asked to dole out N200 by the soldiers.

The driver who initially refused to part with the money, later changed his mind and gave one of the soldiers N100 the uniformed man refused to collect the money, demanding for the complete N200.

That gesture seemed to anger the driver who refused to part with any other amount and this incensed the soldier who corked his gun and shot the driver, who slumped and became unconscious.

The soldiers, believing the driver had died, took to their heels leaving the injured man who was rushed by sympathizers to the St.Gerard Catholic Hospital, Kakuri, Kaduna South, where he is currently receiving treatment.

The incident and the attendant anger in the town forced the state Governor, Malam Nasir el-Rufai, to visit the scene of the incident where he pacified aggrieved drivers while promising that the erring soldiers would be brought to book.

isaac