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November 18, 2023
SaharaReporters obtained on Saturday from family sources some notes left behind by Captain Bazza, which confirmed that he had a frustrating relationship with his commander at the army base.
More facts have emerged about the circumstances surrounding the sudden death of a Nigerian Army captain, Alphonsus Alexander Kalthy Bazza, who was alleged to have committed suicide in Akwa Ibom State.
SaharaReporters had last week reported how Captain Bazza’s lifeless body was found in a bush at the 2 Brigade Step-Up Headquarters for Exercise STILL WATERS III at Essien Udim Local Government of Akwa Ibom.
Initial reports have claimed he committed suicide, although family members believed a lot was fishy about the death of the captain, as the army authorities noted that an investigation was ongoing on the matter.
SaharaReporters obtained on Saturday from family sources some notes left behind by Captain Bazza, which confirmed that he had a frustrating relationship with his commander at the army base.
He had stated in one of the handwritten notes that when funds for the last general elections was given by the commander, the boss held to “my own and insisted he was going to send mine to my wife. Who does that?”
Some of the notes as transcribed by SaharaReporters read, “My encounter with co - Lt Col NY Suleiman Baburka; 1 Never Knew him before now. 2. First met him in 7615 Roon when he reported as my Co. 3. He started acting bias and was telling me how my uncle- Maj. Gen. EA Anaryw tasked him to put an eye on me. In which armies of the world is that done?
“4. He always called me a liar & don't trust me - I don't expect his trust & I am a Junior Colleague of his, I deserve to be treated with dignity. 5. He calls me a drunk. 6. I applied for Pass to enable me Process my late mother's death benefit. My Co opined that there was ban on leave & Passes, after I spoke to the Command, he insisted that I Present him with the Chat btw myself & the Command.
“7. I lost my Son & demanded to go & bury my child, he went further to say I am a liar & later approved Six (6) days for me. 8. When funds for election was given by the Comd, he held to my own and insisted he was going to send mine to my wife. Who does that?
“9. I met my co on the 20th March 2023 to permit me go to my house in Jummy's court to enable me have change of Camouflage because the one on me was too dirty, he Permitted me and did not give me a specific timing. I came back after 3 hrs of organizing myself, only for my Co to issue me 3 days extra duty.
“10. Whenever he speaks to me in his office, he raises his Voice and always ask me to get out of his office. He calls me a wounded liar in front of Soldiers. I expect as my superior, let him mentor me and not me constantly insulting my post.”
SaharaReporters last week reported that the Nigerian Army said it had commenced investigation into the alleged suicide case of Bazza.
A relation of the deceased soldier had told SaharaReporters that the lifeless body of Captain Bazza, who recently became a father, was found hanging from a tree in a bush last Saturday night.
The family source had described his death as “mysterious and suspicious” adding that the cause of death had not been ascertained as he left no suicide note for either his wife, elder sister or any other member of his family.
The family source had said, “How can a Captain in the army hang himself with a mosquito net that he used to sleep? He didn’t have any reason to kill himself. Did he kill somebody? No! So why would he just kill himself? He lost his tent mate under mysterious circumstances when he was in Yobe. He got married in 2017 and he has only one child – a boy.”
Reacting to this, the army in a statement released via X(formerly) described the captain’s sudden demise as unfortunate, adding that the he died while deployed on duty at the 2 Brigade Step-Up Headquarters for Exercise STILL WATERS III at Essien Udim Local Government of Akwa Ibom State.
“The Division wishes to inform the general public that the issue is being thoroughly investigated and the public will be duly informed on the outcome of the investigation,” the army said.