Nigerian Army troops have killed an unarmed protester in Taraba State. The protester was allegedly shot dead on Thursday by military special forces deployed at Chanchagi a community in Takum local government area of the state.

A witness told Peoples Gazette that stray bullets also injured others during the altercation between teenage protesters and the military.

The Gazette gathered that the protest started on Wednesday in Chanchagi community when a schoolteacher identified as Matthew got married to his underage student without her father’s consent.

Upon a complaint by the girl’s father, police arrested the Holy Ghost Secondary School teacher and kept him in custody.

The eyewitness said some of the school students mobilised against the arrest of their teacher and the situation got out of hand, prompting the intervention of military special forces from a neighbouring village.

“The angry teenagers took their protest to a police outpost where their school teacher is detained. There was pandemonium that forced the military to swing into action.

“When they came, they were shooting up to disperse the protesters, unfortunately a young man who is a mechanic by profession, was shot dead by the special forces bullet.” he said.

The Gazette could not independently confirm the name of the deceased as at the time of filing in this story.

A military spokesperson did not return multiple calls and messages seeking comments Friday afternoon.