Suspected Air Force officers kill 60-year-old man for alleged rape in Borno

A sixty-year-old man, Ibrahim Bulama, was reportedly beaten to death by officers of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) over a woman suspected to be one of the officer’s girlfriend at a red light district of Galadima in Maiduguri area of Borno State.

Briefing journalists yesterday in Maiduguri, the 105 Composite Commander, Air Comdr. Charles Ohwo, said: “Preliminary investigation revealed that on Wednesday, an airman, Lance Corporal Kamal Usman, left his duty post at about 10:00p.m., and on his way home, came across some people gathering at Okona Hotel.

“Usman in an attempt to find out what was wrong, the crowd got scared, dispersed and took to their heels. When he decided to check the surroundings to find out what scared the crowd, he entered one room and found a woman lying on a bed.

“Unfortunately, the deceased old man, Bulama mobilized some people and came back to the hotel and attacked him from the back with machetes, inflicting serious injuries on his head and snatched his rifle.

“On sensing danger, the lance corporal left and mobilized his fellow colleagues for assistance. Upon arrival at the scene, they descended on the old man, and beat him to death in the process of recovering their rifle.

“The airman is now recuperating at the Air-force medical facility in Maiduguri, while his colleagues who were involved in the incident have been detained pending further investigation.”

While appealing to public to be calm, Ohwo, however, said that the case would be thoroughly investigated, and whoever is found guilty will be punished accordingly.

“The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) is a credible organisation, which does not want its name to be dragged into mud,” he assured.