Troops of the Nigerian Army’s 2 Brigade have uncovered the body of an unidentified man after breaking up a gathering of suspected hoodlums in Akwa Ibom State.
The Army, in a statement released on Sunday by the Assistant Director of Public Relations for the brigade, Captain Lawal Muhammad, said the corpse was found beside a coffin and later moved to a mortuary.
The incident followed an operation in Ukpe Ete, Ikot Abasi Local Government Area, where soldiers acted on intelligence reports and apprehended a driver accused of siphoning diesel from heavy-duty machinery belonging to Sterling Petroleum and Fertiliser Limited.
Muhammad explained that while troops were conveying the suspect and the recovered product to the company’s facility for questioning, a group of youths obstructed the road and launched an attack using stones and bottles in a bid to free the suspect.
He noted that amid the chaos, a suspected gang leader who coordinated the attack was identified and shot in the leg before being rushed to a hospital for medical attention.
The Army spokesman added that the unrest escalated, with the youths allegedly damaging vehicles, intimidating commuters, and assaulting trucks linked to the company operating along the route.
He said additional troops were deployed to restore normalcy, after which further clearance operations in the area led to the discovery of the corpse with a coffin placed beside it.
“The body was evacuated to the mortuary by officers of the Nigeria Police Force, supported by troops of 2 Brigade. Security personnel have since secured the area and are safeguarding critical assets,” the statement added.
The brigade appreciated residents for their cooperation and encouraged the public to continue sharing credible information with security agencies, assuring that efforts were ongoing to ensure the safety of lives and property across the state.
