Ibadan residents decry stray bullets from Army barracks

By Adejayan Gbenga

Residents of 10 communities around the Odogbo Cantonment of the Nigerian Army in Ibadan have sent a Save Our Soul (SOS) message to the Federal Government over safety concerns after stray bullets from the Army shooting range allegedly hit a woman and damaged at least 15 houses.

Following the incident, the residents issued a statement appealing to President Bola Tinubu to intervene and relocate the shooting range to a safer location.

The affected communities include Omilabu Zones 1, 2, and 3, Omilabu Mainstream, Oluseyi, Idi-Omo, Anilelerin, Dominion Estate, Ajobo, and other adjoining areas.

The residents noted that they had been calling on the Federal Government since 2017 for assistance, but their pleas had not received any response.

Community representatives, including Prince Ijeru, Mr. Adekunle Taiwo, Mrs. Odekunle, Mr. Qozeem Alayo, Mr. Abdrauf, and Iya Eleedu, claimed that unlike previous exercises, when the Army provided prior notice, this latest shooting training was allegedly conducted without warning.

They wrote, “We wish to state that the exercise commenced last 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 was immediately rushed to the Military Hospital in the barracks.”

“No fewer than fifteen houses have been affected by stray bullets this time. The population of these communities is no less than 5,000.”