The Nigerian Army has officially confirmed the tragic death of one of its young officers, Lt. Samson Haruna (a Medical Doctor), who reportedly died following a domestic dispute where he was allegedly set ablaze by his wife, Retyit Obadiah Haruna (a Nurse), whom he had been married to for only six months.
The confirmation comes as the wife’s family publicly insists that she is innocent and that the officer’s death was a fatal accident caused by his own negligence.
The Army’s Stance: Confirmation of a Tragic Incident
In a statement signed by Assistant Director of Army Public Relations, Lawal Muhammad of the 2 Brigade, the Nigerian Army confirmed the incident occurred on September 22, 2025.
The Army described the event as a “tragic” outcome of domestic violence, and its official statement strongly condemned the act:
“The Nigerian Army strongly condemns this act of domestic violence, recognizing the imperative of peaceful coexistence and respect within families. We extend our heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family of Lieutenant Haruna.”
The Army further called on all parties to remain calm pending the outcome of the ongoing Military Police investigation.
The Wife’s Family Defense: Claiming Accident and Exoneration
Countering the narrative of domestic violence, Pastor Mwoltok Benjamin Dalong, an elder brother of Mrs. Retyit Haruna, issued a public statement claiming his sister was innocent and had been cleared by the Army of any wrongdoing.
Dalong cited an unnamed “citizen journalist” report to allege the officer’s death was an accident, stating:
- Lt. Haruna “was playing with petrol and a light burner while threatening his wife.”
- The incident happened when “the light burner he was using with petrol to make threats, mistakenly, caught fire and engulfed him.”
- Dalong further claimed that before Lt. Haruna died, he was “stabilized in the hospital and made statements… that were key to exonerating (clearing his wife) as the person who poured fuel on him.”
The brother insists that his sister, whom he says has been released by the Army, is a “victim of false narratives” and urged the public to exercise restraint until the official truth prevails.
Despite the wife’s family’s claims of accidental death and exoneration, the details of the incident have raised serious public questions that remain unanswered by the official Army statement:
- Why would an Army Officer and Medical Doctor, fully aware of the dangers of fire and petrol, “play with” these dangerous elements while threatening his wife of six months during an argument?
- The Escape from Fire: If the couple was in the same room during the argument and the fire was accidental, how did Mrs. Haruna escape the conflagration completely unscathed while Lt. Haruna was engulfed?
- Has the Nigerian Army officially released the results of the Military Police investigation? If the wife has been cleared based on the late husband’s deathbed statement, why hasn’t the Army published a definitive statement to that effect to end the public speculation?
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