A senior Nigerian army officer and nephew of Afrobeat
legend Fela Kuti has been jailed for six months for
allowing weapons to fall into the hands of Boko Haram
Islamists during a deadly attack, his lawyer said on
Friday.
Brigadier General Enitan Ransome-Kuti was convicted at
a five-member court martial in Abuja on Thursday for
“loss of equipment” during the attack in Baga, Borno
state, in January.
The officer was also convicted of failure to discharge his
duties but cleared of a third count of “cowardly
behaviour”, Femi Falana told AFP.
The attack on Baga, on the shores of Lake Chad, saw
hundreds of Boko Haram fighters overrun and destroy
the town and surrounding villages, including a military
base.
Militants were later seen in a propaganda video picking
through the armoury at the base, which was used by
troops from Nigeria, Niger and Chad.
Hundreds of people were said to have been killed in what
has been seen as the Islamists worst atrocity in the six-
year insurgency, although even now there is no exact
death toll.
Falana said Ransome-Kuti had been in custody for six
months and should be released for time served but the
conviction and sentence had to be confirmed first by a
military panel.
An appeal would be lodged, he said, as it was
“contradictory” to convict his client of losing equipment
but clear him of cowardly behaviour.
“Boko Haram outnumbered his men. They had more
superior weapons than the unserviceable equipment of
the Nigerian Army” which prompted the withdrawal,
Falana added.
In September 2014, 12 Nigerian soldiers were sentenced
to death for mutiny after shots were fired at their
commanding officer in the northeastern city of
Maiduguri.
The following December, 54 other soldiers were
sentenced to death for refusing to deploy for an
operation against Boko Haram.
In May this year, the military said 579 officers and
soldiers were on trial over indiscipline linked to the
conflict.
The cases, most of which have been heard behind closed
doors, emerged after complaints of poor equipment and
morale in the army against the better-equipped rebels.
Conditions are said to have improved since the start of
this year, with new procurement and investment that has
put Boko Haram on the back foot.
That has prompted calls for a review of soldiers facing
charges.

permsec:
Yeah! its happening again. Just like he did in the 80's to FELA himself.

just2endowed:
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