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faketan (m)
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Saboteurs In The Army: Nigeria Is Not Safe << Nigerian Soldiers Selling Guns To Militants >>If soldiers who are supposed to provide security turn saboteurs, Then Nigeria can be sold for the right amount. THERE have been startling revelations about how army officers sold weapons to militant groups in the Niger Delta. According to investigations, thousands of AK-47 rifles, General Purpose Machine guns (GPMGs) and ammunition are said to be missing from the Nigerian Army Central Ordinance Depot in Kaduna.
Upon investigation as ordered by President Umaru Yar’Adua, the missing arms and ammunition were discovered to have been sold to militants in the Niger Delta.
The President, according to sources, ordered the investigations following a discovery by the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Luka Yusuf, that many of the arms and ammunition that the militant groups were using to kill soldiers of the Joint Task Forces in the Niger Delta were similar to those in the army armoury.
Investigations then revealed that agents of the groups from the area had, indeed, engaged in several arms purchases from the Army’s Central Ordinance depot in Kaduna to the surprise of the Army chief and the Federal Government. Consequently, 15 officers of the Nigerian Army, including three Colonels, two Lieutenant Colonels, one Major and about 10 NCOs are currently facing a court martial at the Infantry Centre and School in Jaji, Kaduna. http://www.tribune.com.ng/15012008/news/news1.html
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Uzzyan
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How army officers sold weapons to militants: N220m found in Major’s account; N100m in Colonel’s account; 15 officers face court martial - Yar’Adua orders investigation
Chris Agbambu, Abuja - 15.01.2008
THERE have been startling revelations about how army officers sold weapons to militant groups in the Niger Delta. According to investigations, thousands of AK-47 rifles, General Purpose Machine guns (GPMGs) and ammunition are said to be missing from the Nigerian Army Central Ordinance Depot in Kaduna.
Upon investigation as ordered by President Umaru Yar’Adua, the missing arms and ammunition were discovered to have been sold to militants in the Niger Delta.
The President, according to sources, ordered the investigations following a discovery by the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Luka Yusuf, that many of the arms and ammunition that the militant groups were using to kill soldiers of the Joint Task Forces in the Niger Delta were similar to those in the army armoury.
Investigations then revealed that agents of the groups from the area had, indeed, engaged in several arms purchases from the Army’s Central Ordinance depot in Kaduna to the surprise of the Army chief and the Federal Government. Consequently, 15 officers of the Nigerian Army, including three Colonels, two Lieutenant Colonels, one Major and about 10 NCOs are currently facing a court martial at the Infantry Centre and School in Jaji, Kaduna.
Sources disclosed that the board of enquiry set up to investigate the disappearance of the arms discovered that a Major, who is one of the officers in charge of the Central Ordinance Depot, Kaduna, had over N220 million in his account while a Colonel involved in the matter had about N100 million in his own account. Nine of the non-commissioned officers attached to the ordinance depot had various sums ranging from N50 million, N20 million to N10 million in their accounts.
Indications that there was trouble emerged last week when the authorities of the National Defence College, Abuja, received a letter from the office of General Yusuf recalling two Colonels currently undergoing the Senior Officers Course at the college. Before the recall of the two Colonels to face the court martial, some military officers had been arrested and detained at the Mogadishu Cantonment in Abuja on the orders of the Chief of Army Staff.
Nigerian Tribune gathered that the two Colonels were recalled for them to proceed to Kaduna to face the court martial, having been implicated in the arms sale. Nigerian Tribune gathered that the military authorities got to know about the arms deal following the declaration of war on the Joint Task Force by about 10 militant groups in the Niger Delta and the arrest of Jomo Gbomo in Angola.
An agent of the militants was said to have approached the officers of the Central Ordinance Depot with about N250 million to buys arms, oblivious of the fact that the former officer in charge had been posted out. The new officer played along for some time and then informed the army authorities.
Before he could be nabbed, however, he fled, making a furious General Yusuf to order investigations into the matter. It was during the investigations that it was discovered that over 30,000 AK-47 rifles, 5,000 GPMG’s and boxes of ammunition and grenades were missing from the depot.
Army spokesman, Brigadier-General Solomon Giwa-Amu, confirmed the court martial, but said it was over some missing arms and ammunition and not in connection with arms sale to militants.
Mogbe o we are finshed!!!!
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ndubest (m)
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Greed Greed and Greed Disposing national asset for personal gains Court martial  Those guys should be looking at life imprisonment (if found guilty) not just DISGRACEFULLY DISCHARGED |
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faketan (m)
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Greed Greed and Greed Disposing national asset for personal gains Court martial Those guys should be looking at life imprisonment (if found guilty) not just DISGRACEFULLY DISCHARGED It is crazy my brother. There is nothing you will not hear in Nigeria. I think they are qualified for firing squad. May be life will be more human. |
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noetic (m)
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It is crazy my brother. There is nothing you will not hear in Nigeria.
I think they are qualified for firing squad. May be life will be more human.
I agree, but how can we be assured there wont be a repeat? |
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faketan (m)
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well that's a million dollar question
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otokx (m)
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This saboteurs don't amount to 1% i think
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Bankole01 (m)
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This is the problem with Nigeria. Patriotism has gone the way of greed and sleaze. Corruption has permeated every fabric of the nation, no sector is imune to this rabid disease. This is sedition at its highest level and these officers deserve summary execution. Just imagine how many people have killed by the proliferation of arms caused by these callous acts of our national heros! How many of these weapons are being used by armed robbers to waylay unarmed civilians? How many have been used to rob banks? Culled from the Vanguard Newspaper,:
"Gen. Yusuf, Vanguard gathered, made the vow against the background of pleas for mercy for the affected officers by influential Nigerians."This is the problem with Nigeria. People start begging for mercy when they should be severely punished for a dastardly crime commited against the people and the nation! How can there be a deterence when all we do is forgive evil crimes? Won't these crimes be commited by others, when they know all they have to do is ask some misguided so-called influential Nigerians to beg on their behalf? What kind of fools will go to beg for these unconscionable murderers and greedy men? These men deserve no mercy, lenthy jail terms if not death should greet them.  |
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Backslider (m)
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@post
May Obj has a hand in this.
Where is Inteligence (DMI) should be sacked all of them.
what about the military forensic?
Military has disgraced itself. This is why I turned down to serve.
The life of our men is worth the ink of the naira to this senior army men.
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faketan (m)
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'The army chief’s decision to severely punish those found guilty came against the background of appeals by relations and many influential personalities, including traditional rulers, governors and politicians, that he should be lenient with the accused officers'
Source: Nigerian Tribune
How on earth will people be bold enough to plead for thieves and sabo like they are? methink that those who plead should alos be arrested.
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presido1 (m)
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United Nigeria
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Backslider (m)
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'The army chief’s decision to severely punish those found guilty came against the background of appeals by relations and many influential personalities, including traditional rulers, governors and politicians, that he should be lenient with the accused officers'
Source: Nigerian Tribute
It is Up to Yar Adua This is how this traditional leaders keep begging and the nations burns.
Yaradua better learn from OBJ. The Royal Fathers will not be there when the accounts are checked. If they were not caught would the royal fathers say anything?
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faketan (m)
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They will not. What they will do is to collect N50K and give them titles.
It is wickedness
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olrotimi (m)
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not so surprised  |
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faketan (m)
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not so surprised Cos gone are the days traditional rulers are respected because they stand for the truth. |
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olrotimi (m)
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@faketan, hey boy man uncle is a trad ruler, and a respectable one at that.think this stuff is about those so called paramount rulers  |
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faketan (m)
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Ofcus there will always be those who will be different.
You know in science if you 80% of observation is true, you may call it a law neglecting the 20% that is not true.
I know there still respectable ones out there but majority na wetin them go chop them do go after.
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naijaway (m)
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Traditional rulers should be deprived of their titles because that is not part of a democracy. This is not the only fvk ups they've been doing; what about elections and other different forms of oppression way back since colonisation. I wish the soldiers are jailed for life and Yar adua amplifies the traditional rulers role in this matter by making it look more than what it is, that way he can disolve that wicked title.
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olrotimi (m)
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@ naijaway, hmn, wonder where you come from, don't let your trad ruler banish u and your family from the village |
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i_don_land (m)
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The really sad part of this is that the honest ones in the military and oppressed and not promoted, they are tormented until they leave the military.
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Ndipe (m)
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This has been going on as far as the 80's. Remember the police constable who used to supply Anini with firearms? George Iyamu. Nothing in Nigeria fazes me, hence, all this story about a public official stealing money is not 'newsy' to me anymore. As a matter of fact, it's becoming monotonous!
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tundysho (m)
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No two ways about it if they re found guilty by the court marshal(sruely they will be because they don't even have any defending lawyer) they are facing the firimg squad
It will serve as a detrerent to other officers thinking of going into the business.
People could be so calous.Na wa ooo
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Hsmpwise (m)
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Shalom!
I completely agree with the views expressed by Bankole01, re: summary execution of these shameless and murderous army officers and the unparalleled forgiving spirits of Nigerians, irrespective of the gravity of crime committed. It is amazing that the officers are yet to be convicted and yet Nigerians are already begging for forgiveness.
On a serious note, isn't it obvious that these misguided officers merely represent part of the Nigerian syndrome, that deep-seated urge to get rich at all costs? Let us pause and not treat this case in isolation. To do so would not achieve the desired end. Our appetite for wealth, sudden lazy wealth especially, would no doubt spell the demise of this geographical experiment called Nigeria, if not properly tackled. It is a problem calling for urgent solution. We need a form of national re-orientation - spare me the Babangida approach, please!
No doubt, these officers should not be spared their deserved reward. They should be summarily executed - right?However, in doing so, every public office holder in Nigeria who is directly or indirectly guilty of corrupt enrichment should equally be executed. This is because for every penny stolen, so many lives are lost. Any form of public stealing amounts to blood money. In this wise, no previous governor of any state should be spared. All previous Heads of State should be killed. Most permanent secretaries would be found guilty. The list is endless!
The above solution seems impractical and hence not viable, at least not for now. So, let us re-visit the case of these disgraced army officers once again. The initial reaction based on contempt for corruption, patriotism and what have you, is to suggest their summary execution. However, in the light of above argument, should they still be killed? They merely represent everything Nigerian. They should not be killed. However, other forms of punishment are appropriate. This is a rational decision not based on any unscrupulous "Nigerian forgiving spirit". The real solution is re-shaping the Nigerian nation. The complete suppression and banishment of the present corrupt oligarchy. This is the real thing, otherwise, selective killing of public office thieves amount to nothing but murder.
May the blessings be!!
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faketan (m)
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HSMP
This one you carry am as name na wa.
I agree that need re-orientation but even if they are not executed, they should be given life sentence. If not I think you will be sending the wrong signal to the other people who have such thing in mind. They will be forgiven.
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deor03 (m)
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i am livid with anger. I think it should be blood for blood. We keep loosing soldiers in niger delta everyday and some crazy idoitic soldiers are smiling to the bank. Firing squad or hangman noose |
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bjluv
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well this is a big disgrace to Nigeria, Nigerians and the whole of Africa herself. We (the whole world) keep blaming the west for guntrade to Africa and within our soils but now, we could ourselves see that the rotten ones amongst us are the black sheep. I think there should be a re-do of the the movie, "The Lord of War" (2005)
Only until when Africans learn to be honest with him/herself will Africa as a whole progress.
This shows also how "capable" is the Nigerian system in various ways,
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odiaseo (m)
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we are sometimes quick to pass judgement. The officers and soldiers are innocent until proven guilty, I suppose that is the rule of law.
Before we start raining fire and brimestone on the accused, let's wait for the outcome of their court martial.
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deor03 (m)
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we are sometimes quick to pass judgement. The officers and soldiers are innocent until proven guilty, I suppose that is the rule of law.
Before we start raining fire and brimestone on the accused, let's wait for the outcome of their court martial.
just like you are not the OWNER of 20million naira in your account except spend it. hisssssssssss ( where is this guy from?) |
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