UPDATE: Ibadan residents, Army disagree over shooting range

Residents of four communities in Akinyele Local Council Development Authority, LCDA, in Oyo State, yesterday, protested the alleged destruction of lives and property by stray bullets from the periodic shooting range exercise of the 2 Division, Nigerian Army in Odogbo.

Speaking with Vanguard in an interview, the residents said they had made several pleas to successive state governors and Presidents to prevail on the Nigerian Army to move their training camp to a forest and not a densely populated area of Ibadan where they live.

The affected communities are Ajobo, Omilabu, Oluseyi, Alelerin and its environs.

The residents showed the bullets that they claimed they picked from their homes.

Chairman of the Landlord Association, Mr A Yusuf, alleged that officers of 2 Division in Odogbo are allegedly making life hell for them as they sleep and wake up in fear.

Yusuf said: “As of now (noon), officers at 2 Division in Odogbo are shooting and their bullets have destroyed our roofs, and water tanks and even injured some of us. Just four days ago, it was by sheer luck that I escaped being hit by the bullets.

“I’m a retiree and I’m sometimes at home. When they (soldiers) start their practice, I have to sit behind a pillar of my house to avoid being hit by the bullets.”

Another resident, Prince Adeleye Lawal said: “Some minutes before 5 pm on Tuesday, a bullet penetrated the roof of my house but it was just hanging from the ceiling. We don’t know what to do again. Should we wait until a disaster happens? The government should look for a distant forest for the soldiers to train not within the city.”

Also, Mrs Sade Adeyemi, a resident of the Omilabu area said she was in the kitchen when a bullet strayed inside the residence and injured her arm.

Mrs Adeyemi said: “I thank God that it was my arm that the bullet hit. What would l have said if it had killed me? I would have shown you the extent of the injuries but it would expose my body.”

Army responds

Reacting to the allegations, the Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, 2 Division, Odogbo, Lt. Col. Charles Ekeocha said: “It is difficult for me to respond because I’m not around now. We travelled for an event. I know that whenever we conduct our range, we always take every necessary precaution to avoid anything of such. Even before the commencement of the range, we usually send messages to radio stations so that we don’t have any incidents of such. Since, we started this exercise, there’s no report that bullets hit anyone.

“In as much as they have alleged, I will get to the village to see things for myself. It’s a Sunday-Sunday medicine for people to run to the media whenever they hear we want to do our exercise. That range is the Army range and I don’t think there was any incident.”