Nigerian Army dismisses six soldiers, sanctions two for gross misconduct

The Nigerian Army, 3 Division, Rukuba Plateau State, has dismissed and jailed six of its personnel and sanctioned two others for committing various offences.

The division’s General Court Martial dismissed and sanctioned the soldiers.

Brig.-Gen. Liafis Bello, the president of the court martial, announced the soldiers’ sanctions following their conviction for offences including theft, arms sales, criminal conspiracy, intimidation, and cheating of civilians, among others.

He stated that the Armed Forces Act (Rules of Procedure) 1972, the 1999 Constitution as amended, and other current laws guided the court’s decision.

“The court found the convicted soldiers guilty of the offences after considering diligently all the allegations brought before it against the accused.”

Persecondnews recalls that on February 17, Maj.-Gen. Abdusalam Abubakar, the General Officer Commanding in the Division, convened the court.

He said: “Court martial in the Nigerian Army is a routine duty aimed at ensuring strict compliance with the dictates of the military justice system.

“Since then, the court has been working, and today it has delivered judgement on eight cases.

“The jailed and dismissed personnel have committed offences considered to be inconsistent with service discipline as well as against the laws of Nigeria.

“The six dismissed personnel, largely from the ranks of corporals and sergeants, were also demoted to the rank of private soldiers.

Bello said the court was guided by the provisions of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria, the Armed Forces Act (Rules of Procedure) of 1972, and other relevant laws.