18 Soldiers Face Court-Martial Over Maiduguri Mutiny
The Nigerian Army has court-martialled 18 soldiers for attempted murder and mutiny in Maimalari cantonment, Maiduguri, capital of Borno State, Northeastern Nigeria, PREMIUM TIMES reports.
According to the report published online on Thursday, 10 July, 2014, eleven of the soldiers faced a six-count charge including committing mutiny.
It was gathered that the Commander, Army Headquarter Garrison, B.T Ndiomu, ordered the General Court Martial, GCM, to be presided by C.C Okonkwo, a Brigadier General.
The report stated that Mr. Ndiomu had directed that the court martial be assembled at the garrison’s conference hall on 26 June.
Sources informed that the GCM was made up of seven members, two waiting members, a judge advocate and two prosecuting officers.
Other members of the court included: a liaison officer, a contact officer, two officers authorized to sign any amendment convening officer and eight other soldiers who form the court secretariat.
The soldiers are to be court-martialled for an incident that occurred on May 14, when some soldiers, angered by the death of 12 of their colleagues in a Boko Haram ambush, opened fire on the vehicle of Ahmadu Mohammed, the General Officer Commanding, GOC, 7th Division of the Nigerian Army.
Reports stated that the soldiers blamed Mr. Mohammed for the death of their colleagues.
After the operation, during which some military equipment were recovered from the insurgents, the soldiers who had arrived the council, at night were asked to return to Maiduguri, despite pleads from the soldiers to be allowed to return to Maiduguri the next morning.
“Those commanding the troop declined their request to pass the night in one of the villages on the grounds that the top ranks at the headquarters of the 7 Division would not be pleased if they don’t go back to Maiduguri that night,” said a ranking soldier, who sought anonymity.
It was gathered that half way through their journey, the soldiers ran into a Boko Haram ambush and 12 of them got killed while some others were injured.
The survivors, in what seemed a vengeance mission, opened fire on their commander, Mr. Mohammed, when they eventually arrived in Maiduguri.
The Nigerian Army, however, instituted a military board of inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the conduct of soldiers who fired some shots.
Punishment for the offences under the Armed Forces Act include: death, imprisonment, dismissal with ignominy from the Armed Forces, a fine of a sum not exceeding the equivalent of three-months allowance, among others.
The accused soldiers are entitled to a defence counsel of their choice. However, the convening officer must be informed of the defence counsel 24 hours before the trial commences.
Below are names of the accused soldiers, their ranks and service numbers:
96NA/ 42/6235 Cpl Jasper Braidolor
96NA/ 43/ 10277 Cpl David Musa
05NA/ 57/ 3451 LCpl Friday Onun
09NA/ 64/ 4905 LCpl Yusuf Shuaibu
09NA/ 62/ 1648 LCpl Igono Emmanuel
09NA/ 64/ 4214 Pte Andrew Ngbede
10NA/ 65/ 8344 Pte Nurudeen Ahmed
10NA/ 65/ 7084 Pte Ifeanyi Alukhagbe
13NA/ 69/ 2898 Pte Alao Samuel
13NA/ 69/ 2907 Pte Amadi Chukwudi
13NA/ 69/ 2898 Pte Allan Linus
The other seven soldiers also court-martialled, but yet to be charged are:
93NA/ 36/ 1542 Cpl David Luhbut
97NA/ 45/ 7423 Cpl Muhammed Sani
03NA/ 53/ 816 Lcpl Stephen Clement
09NA/ 62/ 1648 Inama Samuel
09NA/ 64/ 5858 Iseh Ubong
10NA/ 65/ 6912 Ichocho Jeremiah
10NA/ 65/ 7343 Sabastine Gwaba
Source: Legit.ng
