The Nigerian Army Depot, Zaria, has dismissed reports alleging that a recruit identified as Ibrahim Nazifi, an indigene of Gombe State, died during military training at the Depot, describing the claims as false and misleading.

In a statement issued on January 23, 2026, the Army clarified that although Ibrahim Nazifi, with application number 90RRI-GO-9017726, successfully passed the State Recruitment Screening Exercise conducted in December 2025 and was shortlisted for training, he never reported to Depot NA Zaria for the commencement of training.

According to the statement, official records at the Depot confirm that the individual was never admitted, did not participate in any training activity, and had no record of injury or death within the facility.

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“The Depot has no record whatsoever of his presence, participation, injury or death during training,” the Army stated.

The Nigerian Army therefore called on the Gombe State Government and other relevant authorities to carry out a comprehensive investigation to determine where, when and under what circumstances the alleged death occurred, stressing that such an incident did not happen at Depot NA Zaria.

While acknowledging that military training is rigorous and designed to build resilience, endurance and combat readiness, the Army emphasised that strict safety measures, medical support and risk-mitigation procedures are in place to safeguard recruits throughout the training process.

The Army urged members of the public to disregard unverified reports and refrain from spreading misinformation capable of misleading the public and damaging the image of the Nigerian Army.

Depot NA Zaria reaffirmed its commitment to professionalism, transparency and the welfare of recruits undergoing training in service of the nation.