‘Alleged Dead Recruit Never Showed Up For Training’ – Army Declares

The Nigerian Army has dismissed as false and misleading media reports alleging that one Ibrahim Nazifi, said to be an indigene of Gombe State, died during military training at Depot Nigerian Army, Zaria, declaring unequivocally that the individual never reported to the depot for training and was never admitted into its programme.

In a statement issued on January 23, 2026, the Army said its attention was drawn to reports claiming that Ibrahim Nazifi, bearing application number 90RRI-GO-9017726, died while undergoing training at the depot. The Army described the reports as completely untrue and inconsistent with its official records.

According to the statement, available documentation at Depot NA Zaria shows that Ibrahim Nazifi successfully passed the state recruitment screening exercise conducted in December 2025 and was subsequently shortlisted for training.

However, the Army stressed that he did not report to the depot for the commencement of training and, as such, was never enrolled, admitted, or involved in any training activity.

“The Depot has no record of his presence, participation, injury or death during training,” the statement said, noting that at no time was the individual under the custody or supervision of the depot.

The Army therefore called on the Gombe State Government and relevant authorities to investigate the circumstances surrounding the alleged death, including where, when and how it occurred, emphasizing that such an incident did not happen within Depot NA Zaria.

While acknowledging that military training is rigorous and designed to build endurance, resilience and combat readiness, the Army maintained that this does not translate to negligence.

The statement explained that robust safety measures, medical coverage and risk-mitigation procedures are firmly in place to protect recruits and minimise injuries during training.

The Army urged members of the public to disregard the reports and avoid spreading unverified information capable of misleading the public and tarnishing the image of the institution, reiterating its commitment to professionalism, transparency and the welfare of all recruits undergoing training to serve the nation.