Grief is smudged across the faces of family and friends of Lieutenant Benjamin Edim, a young Army officer who lost his life supposedly on a mission to capture kidnappers in the Ugwunabo area of Abia state. He was attached to 144 Battalion of the Nigeria Army in Asa. Lt. Edim, head of administration of the military base, was billed to lead soldiers to rescue a kidnap victim on Sunday July 26 this year.
Events leading to his eventual death did not sound tidy. Suddenly the driver attached to him disappeared. An advance party had proceded to Ugwunabo, the subaltern was therefore on his way to join in the operation. In the inexplicable absence of his driver, he drove to meet up with his troops.
That was the picture his father, Charles Edim, himself a retired Warrant Officer, painted last week when he addressed a press conference. According to the senior Edim, he had information that his son was killed by his own troops. The battalion also confirmed the findings and that has led to suspicion and protest. Commander of the 144 Battalion, Lt. Col K.U. Sidi, in the words of Edim claimed that the officer was killed by friendly fire in the course of rescue operation.
In the military it is not unusual for such mistakes to take place. However, Charles Edim has ruled out mistake in the death of his son. He believes his son was murdered. His own version is that some people within the unit did not feel comfortable with the uncompromising attitude of the lieutenant and might have decided to get rid of him.
He cited the absence of a driver when needed and signs on the body of the dead. Friends and some colleagues seem to agree with the father. Lt. Edim was said to be a hardworking , no nonsense man who would bend over backwards, for love of friends and fatherland.
The father added that when he saw the body in the morgue there were about six bullet holes and lacerations raising fears that the truth has not been told yet concerning the manner of his son’s demise and he also raised questions. One big question is how soldiers could not identify one of their own, their head of administration.
Why he was left behind by the advance party is another sore point. To think of the fact that this rescue operation took place a little after mid-day . We do know that soldiers are well trained in weapons handling and there is a world of difference between accidental discharge and friendly fire. There is also no distinction between a trigger happy soldier and murderer. The alleged defence put forward by 144 Battalion should also interest higher authorities.
This is one challenge Chief of Army Staff, Maj. Gen. Yusuf Tukur Burutai must tackle headlong. He is well at home with that battalion having served as Brigade Commander I Port Harcourt which is a stone throw away from Asa. Both Units fall under the 82 Division. Lt. Edim’s death must be investigated to unearth if indeed it was the type of friendly fire that his Commanding Officer explained or pure daylight murder as alleged by his family.
This will go a long way in restoring confidence within military circles. It is painful that an officer who served successfully in Mali, a brave warrior who spent close to three years fighting Boko Haram in the North-East would just go down because he was involved in an operation to bust kidnappers. It is even more painful that while Lt. Edim died, none of the kidnappers was killed. Reports have it that they were only shot in the legs in order not to escape arrest and possibly justice. The young officer has left behind an equally young widow.
They got married just 11 months ago and she is in her final year in the university. If news came that her husband died gallantly in the battle field, it would be easier to bear the pain. No sane person would accept that a decorated officer was wasted in the bid to grab local kidnappers. This case must not be swept under the carpet. Defence Headquarters must wade into the matter. At this time when brave and dedicated officers are needed, we must not allow our men of honour to be wasted like condemned criminals.
