The said soldiers allegedly told Lawal they were taking him to their barracks only to move him to Iyana Ipaja around the exit of Lagos, where they shot him dead and threw his body into a bush.
The Nigerian Army on Sunday said it had launched an investigation into the report of an alleged killing of one Mr Lawal on August 17, 2023, by some persons in military uniform.
SaharaReporters gathered that Lawal was gruesomely killed on Friday when he was stopped by some soldiers as he was on his way to deliver a brand new 2022 Toyota Corolla to its owner in Abuja.
The said soldiers allegedly told Lawal they were taking him to their barracks only to move him to Iyana Ipaja around the exit of Lagos, where they shot him dead and threw his body into a bush.
However, the 81 Division Nigerian Army headquarters in a statement on Sunday, said it had commenced an investigation into the incident.
In the statement signed by the Acting Deputy Director, Army Public Relations of 81 Division, Lt. Col. Olabisi Olalekan Ayeni, said although information regarding the alleged incident was still scanty at the moment, however, as a responsible organisation, 81 Division considered it appropriate to bring the occurrence to public notice.
It said steps were being taken to identify the alleged persons in military uniform, believed to be soldiers and bring them to justice.
According to the statement, the Division is currently investigating the matter in conjunction with the Lagos command of the Nigeria Police Force to unravel the identity of the alleged suspects and the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The statement reads in part: "At the end of the investigation, if the suspects are identified as serving soldiers, they will be made to face the full wrath of both military and civil laws.
"While the matter is under investigation, Headquarters 81 Division requests the family of the deceased to exercise patience and wait for the outcome of the investigation as whoever is found wanting will be made to face disciplinary action.
"The Nigerian Army has zero tolerance for troops' misconduct or involvement of its personnel in any form of criminality, hence, will not allow this allegation to go unravelled.
"Consequently, the General Officer Commanding 81 Division NA, Maj Gen MT Usman, commiserates with the family of the victim while promising that justice would be served accordingly. He assures the family of the deceased that whosoever killed their loved one will not be allowed to go unpunished."