RESIDENTS of 10 communities around the Odogbo Cantonment of the Nigerian Army, Ibadan yesterday raised the alarm over their safety as stray bullets from the Army shooting range in the barracks, hit a woman and no fewer than 15 houses.
Following the incident, the residents have pleaded with President Bola Tinubu to prevail on the army leadership to relocate the shooting range in the barracks to a safer place.
The affected communities include Omilabu Zones 1, 2, 3, Omilabu mainstream, Oluseyi, Idi-Omo, Anilelerin, Dominion Estate, Ajobo and other adjoining communities.
In a statement, the residents numbering 5,000 said they have been calling on the FG since 2017 to come to their rescue but their distress call was not given any attention.
Representatives of the communities, Prince Ijeru, Mr Adekunle Taiwo, Mrs Odekunle, Mr. Qozeem Alayo, Mr Abdrauf, Iya Eleedu stated that unlike the previous exercises when the Army would notify them, this latest shooting training was allegedly not publicized.
They wrote, “We wish to state that the exercise commenced last week Monday, 17/03/2025 without any prior notice (as in the past).”
“Two days into the exercise, a woman in her shop was hit by a stray bullet and she was immediately rushed to the Military Hospital in the Barracks”.
“No fewer than fifteen houses had been touched by stray bullets this time. Inhabitants in these communities can’t be less than 5,000″.
