The Nigerian Army has sentenced 12 of the 18 soldiers
charged with Court-Martial to death by firing squad, while
one was sentenced to 28 days with Imprisonment with Hard
Labour (IHL). Five others were set free.
According to the sentence delivered by the President of the
General Court Martial trying the 18 soldiers, Brig-Gen.
Chukwuemeka Okonkwo, Corporal Jasper Braidolor and 10
others were found guilty of Counts 1,2 and 3 and were
sentenced to death by firing squad.
In the same vein, Lance Corporal (Lcpl) Stephen Clement
was found culpable in count 3 and 4, attracting death
sentence, while Private (pte) Ichocho Jeremiah was guilty
of Counts 5 and 6, which gave him a 28days IHL.
After the ruling, Okonkwo said that "these sentences are
subject to confirmation", meaning that it can be appealed
at the Federal Court of Appeal.
The soldiers were court-martialled on a six-count charge
for being involved in an alleged mutiny in May 14, when
some aggrieved troops opened fire at a car carrying the
Commanding Officer 7 Division in Maiduguri, Borno State,
Maj-Gen. Ahmadu Mohammed.
While 14 of the accused were found guilty under different
counts, four of them were discharged and acquitted of all
charges.
The accused soldiers with their ranks and service numbers
include:
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 Igomu 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
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
According to the court statement, the soldiers were
accused to have rebelled in Maimalari cantonment,
blaming their GOC and other officers for the deaths of four
of their colleagues.
It could be recalled that the soldiers claimed that they were
ambushed while on a special operation in Kalabalge Local
Government Area near Chibok, where over 200 girls were
abducted from the Government Secondary School.
They alleged that after the operation, during which some
military equipment were recovered from the insurgents, the
soldiers, who arrived the operation location at night, were
asked to return to Maiduguri despite the pleading to be
allowed to return the next morning, as the night trip would
be too risky.
Unfortunately, the troops had to drive to Maiduguri at night
and halfway through their journey, they were said to have
ran into a Boko Haram ambush and with more than 10 of
them killed while some others were injured, which angered
the soldiers to rebel against their superiors, with the GOC
being fired at and forced to be replaced.
Alarmed by the development, the military authorities
arrested the suspected soldiers and instituted a military
board of inquiry into the circumstances surrounding their
conduct.
As a follow up, the Army through internal memo, signed by
the Commander, Army Headquarter Garrison, Mogadishu
Cantonement, Brig-Gen B.T. Ndiomu, ordered the
constitution of a General Court Martial, to be presided by
Brig-Gen. C.C Okonkwo
The military court was made up of seven members, two
waiting members, a judge advocate and two prosecuting
officers were said to have been constituted on June 26 and
started sitting on July 6.
The membership of the Panel also included; a liaison
officer, a contact officer, two officers authorized to sign any
amendment convening officer and eight other soldiers who
form a court secretariat.
Apart from the Okonkwo as the President of the General
Court Martial, other members include the Judge Advocate,
Col TS Nurseman; Col TO Olowomeye; Col IG Lassa; Col JK
Feboke; Lt-Col CR Nnebeife; Maj I Yusuf, and Maj TA
Yakubu as members while Maj AE Martins completes the
nine-man panel as awaiting member.
The lead prosecutor is Lt-Col AA Audu, and Prosecutor 1 is
Lt-Col Ukpe Ukpe.
Reading their offences, Okonkwo said the soldiers in line
with rule 65 and 67 of Rules and Procedures of the Nigerian
Armed Forces Law 1972 were slapped with a six-count
charge of committing mutiny, criminal conspiracy to
commit mutiny, attempted murder, disobedience to
particular orders, insubordinate behaviour contrary to and
punishable under the law, and false accusation.
He also charged the 11 of the 18 soldiers with criminal
conspiracy to commit mutiny among others.
He said that Corporal Jasper Braidolor and 10 others
inspired other military personnel of the 101 Battalion of
7Div, to commit mutiny th other officers to kill the soldiers.
He said: “That you between 13 and 14 May 2014 at
Maimalari cantonment in Maiduguri fired sporadically with
the intent to incite other personnel of 101 battalion against
the authority of 7 Division.”
Okonkwo listed the punishment for the offences under the
Armed Forces Act to include; death, imprisonment,
dismissal with ignominy from the Armed Forces, a fine of a
sum not exceeding the equivalent of three months’ pay
among others.
On the Count 1, he read the statement the of Offence to
include; Criminal conspiracy to commit mutiny triable by
court martial by virtue of Section 114 of AFA and punishable
under Section 97(1) of the penal code CAP P89, laws of the
Federation of Nigeria.
" In that you on or about 14 May14 at Maimalari
Cantonment in Maiduguri conspired to incite other
personnel of 101 Battalion to commit mutiny", he read.
On the Count 2, the statement of Offence, he said: "Mutiny
punishable under Section 52(1) (b) of AFA CAP A20, Laws
of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004. Particulars of Offence: In
that you between 13 and 14 May 14 at Maimalari
Cantonment in Maiduguri fired sporadically with intent to
incite other personnel of 101 Battalion against the authority
of 7 Div".
Okonkwo stated the Count 3 offence: Attempt to commit
offences (murder) contrary to Section 95 and punishable
under Section 106 of AFA CAP A20, laws of the Federation
of Nigeria, 2004.
" In that you on or about 14 May 14 at7 DMSH Maimalari
Cantonment in Maiduguri without justification attempted to
kill Maj. Gen. A Mohammed (N/7915), the GOC 7 div( as he
then was) by firing shots on his official vehicle (Command
Jeep) which hit the right rear door where he sat", he stated.
He listed the Count 4 offence to be disobedience to
particular orders punishable under Section 56(1) of AFA
CAP A20, laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004. He noted
the particulars of Offence, saying; "in that you on or about
14 May 14 at Maimalari Cantonment in Maiduguri wilfully
disobeyed an order by LT Col E Azenda (N/10517), 2i/c 101
Bn to allow the corpses of 101 Bn personnel killed in action
on 13 May 14 to be moved to UMTH mortuary by preventing
the movement insisting on the arrival of the GOC before
such movement could take place".
Okonkwo statement on Count 5 Offence listed it as
"Insubordinate behavior contrary to and punishable under
Section 54 (1) (b) of AFA CAP A20, laws of the Federation of
Nigeria, 2004.
"In that you on or about 14 May 14 at Maimalari
Cantonment in Maiduguri uttered abusive language 'that
officers are cowards' with threat to shoot the officers if they
did not leave the premises.
On the final Count 6, the presiding Court-martial read the
Offence as False accusation contrary to and punishable
under Section 94 (a) of AFA CAP A20, laws of the
Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
"In that you on or about 14 May 14 at Maimalari
Cantonment in Maiduguri accused Lt Col E Azenda
(N/10517), 2i/c of 101 Battalion of conspiring with other
officers to kill 101 Bn soldiers".
In his ruling, he found the first 11 soldiers guilty of counts
1-3, while discharging and acquitted them of offence counts
4-6.
Accordingly, the same charges were also handed over to
another seven group of soldiers under the title of "Corporal
David Luhbut and six others".
Reading the judgment, Okonkwo declared the second batch
of seven the accused not found guilty on charge counts ,
except Corporal Stephen Clement who was found guilty
Counts 5-6, and Corporal Jeremiah Ichoko was culpuable of
counts 4-5
Pleading on their behalf, one of the leading Defence
Counsel to the accused soldiers, Francis Paul, e.esq,
prayed the military court to lessen their sentences.
Paul asked the court to tamper justice with mercy listing
some of the challenges being faced by their clients and in
that their loss through death sentence or lengthy
incarceration could cause untold hardship to their relatives
and a huge loss to the nation.
He said: "My prayer is that their sentences be lessened. My
Lord I pray this court to tamper justice with mercy. Private
Friday Onuh who joined the military in 2005 is the only
surviving male of his family with aged parents and five
months old child.
"Also Corporal Jasper joined the Army since 1996 and a
dedicated veteran of three wars who has served this
country with zeal and passion".
"My Lord these convicted persons having served their
country well with most of them being first time offenders
should be viewed with mercy", he further pleaded.
Responding, Brig-Gen Okonkwo promised to consider their
cases and pleas in the sentencing.
http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/court-martial-army-sentences-12-soldiers-to-death-free-five-others/189168/

Now they, the NA heads see themselves as demi-gods. Convicting the men they sent to war front with 18th century weapons while they are in their officers cutting corners.
It will be better for that soldier not to be born than to pick up that machine gun to shot down a fellow for standing up for their right.

I will support these kangaroo sentences iff those GOCs move to the front line and eliminate these BH.



#LeaseOurGallantSoldiers


PLEASE FELLOW NIGERIANS LET US JOIN HANDS AND SAVE THESE GALLANT MEN WHO HAS PUT THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE JUST TO MAKE OUR NATION SAVE FOR WE ALL.