The Nigeria Army on Tuesday at the Rukuba
Barracks in Jos, Plateau State, dismissed about
200 soldiers from service for their failure to
capture the Sambisa forest – a notorious
hideout for Boko Haram terrorists in Borno
State.
They were dismissed for laxity and cowardice
in the course of duty.
One of the affected soldiers, Aguloye Sunday,
an indigene of Ondo state, who confirmed the
dismissal to journalists in Jos, said they were
arraigned on a two-count charge over “failure
to perform military duty and disobedience to
standing order.”
He however said the charges pressed against
him and his colleagues were “untrue, false
and malicious,” and said they would seek
redress in court.
Mr. Sunday denied the claim by the army
authorities that the soldiers abandoned their
duties and ran away, explaining that sufficient
weapons were not provided for them to fight
the terrorists and therefore they soon ran out
of weapons.
He also said the weapons provided for the
troops were obsolete.
“The bombs given to us were made since 1964
they were expired, so we could not use them,”
he said.
“Each of us were given five bullets, not five
rounds to fire, while in the forest, our biggest
weapon was to cover just a distance on 400
meters, but our enemy had aircraft weapons
that could cover a distance of more than 1000
meters with other dangerous weapons.
“We only retreated to our base, waiting for
ammunition for three days in vain.”
Mr. Sunday explained that the soldiers were
earlier imprisoned for 28 days with hard
labour by one Lt. Colonel Gambo, before a
general court martial was set up by the
Nigerian army to try them.
He added that Mr. Gambo had also been
ordered into the guardroom – a military cell-
for issuing mild sanctions against the soldiers.
He said, “As we speak, Lt Colonel Gambo was
yesterday kept in a guardroom at the officers
mess, because he sentenced us to just
Imprisonment and Hard Labour, we had
served the punishment for a week before the
dismissal order; some of our senior men were
demoted before the dismissal,” the soldier
said.
Mr. Sunday said since November 13, 2014,
when authorities withdrew him and the other
soldiers them from the notorious forest, they
had been subjected to untold hardship.
He also disclosed that they are also being
owed 10 months salaries and allowances by
the Nigerian Army.
“We have been sleeping in the open at the
barrack since we left the forest November
13th without food, but we have been ‘falling
in’ for duties each day at the barracks,” he
said.
The army did not respond directly to Mr.
Sunday’s claims.
The army spokesperson, Sani Usman, told
PREMIUM TIMES that most of the stories being
peddled as well as the figures of the number
soldiers dismissed, are inaccurate.
Mr. Usman, a colonel, warned that the army
would not tolerate any act of indiscipline,
cowardice or desertion from any of its
personnel.
“Most of those that abandoned locations at the
approach of the terrorists did not join the
Army to fight,” Mr. Usman said.
“The issue of lack of equipment or weapons is
baseless as there has never been a time when
the Boko Haram Terrorists were better
equipped or armed than the Nigerian Army.”
He also said disciplinary processes in the
army involves thorough investigations, fair
hearing and impartial dispensation of justice.



www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/183766-nigerian-army-dismisses-200-soldiers-for-cowardice.html

The same way Nigerians on 28th of March dismissed the Commander-in -Chief of the country's armed forces for cowardice and allied offences ko?

Were they given the right weapons to face BH?

The spokesperson of the cowards is from Ondo State
I rest my case

Its better to be dismissed and be alive than to die a careless and avoidable death due to inadequate weapons while in active service.

but they won't remember the ones that die bravely not even their left-behind families

They gave their time to the senseless Boko Haram war and what did dey get at the end? Dismissal!!

armed forces most expecially Nigerian army needs rehabilitation most army officers are kowrupt.

Good for them!!

One of the affected soldiers, Aguloye Sunday,
an indigene of Ondo state,

[size=13pt]You don't have to blame this guy.
Its nature and you can't beat nature.

It runs in their blood,that's wat dey are known for..(Cowardice)


TOPOUT [/size]

Joke. You need to sack the entire armed forces of Nigeria if you are serious. Cowardly, unprofessional, undisciplined bunch - with only a handful (less than 10%) of exceptions.

Editor1:

One of the affected soldiers, Aguloye Sunday,
an indigene of Ondo state, who confirmed the
dismissal to journalists in Jos, said they were
arraigned on a two-count charge over “failure
to perform military duty and disobedience to
standing order.”

Why always in this region? smh

One of the affected soldiers, Aguloye Sunday,an indigene of Ondo state

Na from there now....what else does one expect?
.
That very zone.
.
That very tribe.
.
Those very people.