Lawyer seeks justice for 13-year-old boy ‘shot dead’ by soldier

By Ayorinde Oluokun/Abuja

Popular activist and lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, has called for justice one Timothy Daniel Monday, a 13-year boy who was allegedly shot dead by a soldier attached to a company, Starling Global in Ikot Abasi Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State on New Year day, Thursday, 1st January, 2026.

In a post on his X handle on Tuesday, Effiong quoted the sister of the victim, Miss Miracle Daniel Monday, as saying saying the JSS 2 student of Bensona International School, King Jaja Street, Borokiri, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, was shot dead by soldiers when he stepped out to urinate during a Cross Over Service at church in the area.

The activist quoted Miracle as saying that said she stepped out with her siblings, including the deceased, to urinate during the cross over service when they were accosted by soldiers deployed to protect Sterling Oil Exploration & Energy Production Company Ltd. (popularly known as Sterling Global), a major Nigerian indigenous oil & gas firm involved in exploration and production (E&P) operating in the area.

Miracle said she told the soldiers to hold on for her to finish urinating, but her innocuous comment infuriated one of the soldiers who felt challenged.

She said the soldier then pushed her to the ground and when she asked him why he pushed her, the soldier became more infuriated, slapped her, and also assaulted her sister.

She added that another soldier later intervened, apologized to the two sisters, and asked them to leave.

But as they were leaving, they heard gunshots during which Miracle was fatally hit.

“It turn out that the same soldier who had assaulted them had opened fire and killed Master Timothy instantly. The photos shared with me are too graphic for me to share. His brain was completely shattered,” Effiong said.

The lawyer further revealed that the family had reported the case to the Nigerian Army Cantonment 6 Battalion Wellington Basi Barracks, Ibagwa, Abak Local Government Area as well as to the police.

But he lamented that that Sterling Global has not contacted or visit the grieving family since the sad incident.

He therefore appealed to military authorities to ensure justice is done for the grieving family.

“I am calling on the Minister of Defence, the Chief of Army Staff, the General Officer Commanding (G.O.C.) of the 6 Battalion, Ibagwa, and the Akwa Ibom State Government to swiftly intervene in this case, ensure that the culprit is court-martialed for murder, and the family adequately compensated.

“The nonchalant attitude of Sterling Global to this case, like in many other cases, is despicable and unacceptable.

“No Nigerian should be killed in this manner by those who are supposed to protect them. The pain that this family has been subjected to is unimaginable. They live in Port Harcourt, and only went home for the holidays.

“Section 33 of the Nigerian Constitution guarantees the right to life. No one should be deprived of this scared right, except in strict compliance with the manner set by the Constitution,” Effiong said.