Soldiers tasked with fighting Boko Haram militants arrive to face trials for mutiny in Abuja on October 2, 2014. Nearly 100 soldiers tasked with fighting Boko Haram militants in Nigeria's far northeast appeared at a military court martial on Thursday, facing a range of charges including mutiny. The hearing comes just weeks after a tribunal sentenced 12 soldiers to death following their conviction for shooting at their commanding officer in the Borno state capital, Maiduguri, in May. AFP PHOTO

Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola has urged the Nigerian Military authorities to re-consider the death sentence passed on the 54 soldiers as disciplinary measure for misconduct in the ongoing fight against insurgency in the country.

Fashola made the appeal at the Interdenominational Service to mark year 2015 Armed Force Remembrance Day, held at The Chapel of Christ The Light, Alausa, Ikeja.
The governor who was represented by the Commissioner for Home Affairs and Culture, Mr. Oyinlomo Danmole, stated that the military authorities and the Federal Government should reconsider the death sentence and commute it to jail terms.....

While recognizing the need for the Military to sustain its paramount code of ethics as it relates to discipline and strict adherence to rule of engagement, the governor, however, stressed that he believes the officers and men involved are now sober and therefore deserved to be forgiven with the reduction in the punishment pronounced.
He noted that the call for leniency is not to justify their actions but to plead with the government to reduce the gravity of the punishment and not make it greater than their offence.
Fashola also urged Nigerians to continue to support the families of soldiers who have made the supreme sacrifice and those with life-time injuries in the service of our country by donating towards their upkeep.
Earlier, Brigadier General Dalubo, Commander, 9 Brigade of Nigeria Army, representative of the Nigeria Military at the service, stated that the Federal Government set aside January 15 as Remembrance Day and dedicate this period to the remembrance of our fallen heroes who had paid the supreme price for the unity of the nation.
He emphasized that Nigeria will always remember the contribution of our fallen heroes and will do everything in its power to support and cater for the families they left behind.

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Source: Vanguard

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