Some of the convicted soldiers who spoke to
this newspaper said they had been feeding
themselves as well as providing their basic
necessities for over eight months.
“They said we should feed ourselves,” said one
of the soldiers detained at Arakan Barracks in
Lagos.
“We survive by giving our ATM cards and the
pins to our colleagues to help us withdraw
money from our accounts which we use for our
upkeep.
“We have been using our money to buy food,
soap, and other things.”
The 54 soldiers, belonging to the 111 Special
Forces, were convicted in December 2014 for
conspiracy to commit mutiny and mutiny.
They were sentenced to death by firing squad.
Femi Falana, who represented 58 of the
convicted soldiers at the military court martial,
confirmed the soldiers had been abandoned and
insisted it was the duty of the military
authorities to feed the convicts.
“They ought to have been taken to prison since
February this year,” said Mr. Falana, a Senior
Advocate of Nigeria.
“They were simply abandoned because the
system has collapsed. This is just one example
of the many violations in the military.”
Mr. Falana said he had brought the soldiers’
plight to the attention of the military hierarchy
but got no explanation.
“Once they have been condemned, there’s no
longer any regard for them.”
PREMIUM TIMES contacted Sani Usman, the
Nigerian army spokesperson, on Sunday and he
declined to comment in details on the matter
saying he had “no information.”
“There is no way that could be unless there was
a problem, like a communication gap,” said Mr.
Usman, a Colonel.
The army spokesperson requested time to
respond and promised to provide details by
Monday.
However, as at Tuesday, a reminder to Mr.
Usman did not elicit any reply.
PREMIUM TIMES gathered that the soldiers are
detained in two groups of 30 and 24 – with the
latter group being held in an underground
facility.
Narrating their journey to detention, one of the
convicts, who requested not to be named for
fear of victimisation by the army authorities,
said they had received an order to advance
towards Damboa in Borno State on July 9, 2014,
in ‘soft-skin vehicles’ – a convoy that includes
Hilux vans and no armoured cars.
There was a distress call that the 195 Battalion
in Damboa headquarters was being dislodged by
Boko Haram terrorists.
They obeyed.
“We were ambushed at around 1.30 p.m. that
afternoon where we lost 23 soldiers, four
officers, and 32 injured,” Mr.Ogu said.
“The reason was we were not given armoured
car.”
The soldier said they had earlier informed their
Commander, Lieutenant Colonel K.C Uwa, that
they needed an anti aircraft, RPG bombs, and
an Armoured Personnel Carrier to respond to
the distress call.
“He said we should not worry, when we get
there.
“So after we were ambushed and attacked, we
withdrew.
“We were unable to extricate the whole dead
bodies because of the intensive fire of the
terrorists.”
The soldier said they regrouped again at AIT,
along Damboa road, and the next day (July
10th), they received from 7th Division, seven
APCs and one ‘Emorab’ (a big APC with large
front and back tyres equipped with an anti-
aircraft).
“They were provided for us to go and pack the
dead bodies of dead soldiers back to Maimalari
Cantonment in Maiduguri.”
A happy beginning
The soldier said his group had been in Maiduguri
since 2013.
All the deployment were led by Lieutenant
Colonel S.S Ahmed and Colonel J.A Nuru. The
Brigade Commander was M.I Yusuf, while the
General Officer Commanding was Major General
Entan.
“We were the first soldiers, about 120 of us, to
be deployed to Damboa, Mafidin, Bali. We were
the first to launch attack on Alagarno, a Boko
Haram training ground stronger than Sambisa.
“They gave us anything we demanded. Even if
they want to collect it back, they will do it after
an operation.”
Back at their temporary base at Mulai Primary
School, Damboa Road, on July 10, the soldiers
gathered for their evening briefing by their
Commander, Lieutenant Colonel Uwa.
“During briefing, usually they give soldiers
opportunity to ask questions, if any, and we did,”
our source said.
“He (Uwa) said he had been hearing of our
prowess, that how come we lost the operation.
“We told him because we were not equipped.
We used to get anything from 7th Division and
we would win and even come back with Boko
Haram weapons.
“We requested (for weapons), you didn’t give
us.
“He said no operation until those things
requested were provided.”
On August 3, 2014, Commander Uwa was
replaced by Timothy Opurum, another
Lieutenant Colonel.
“He (Opurum) called for Durbar (soldiers’
briefing) and we told him everything. We said
we need those equipment for advancement.
“On 4th August, we were asked to advance to
that same axis – Delwa, Bulabulin, and Damboa.
“We told him (Opurum) we were going to go but
our ammunition had been exhausted. He called
us and asked what we need. We said even if
it’s one APC, 50 of us can go and come back.
“He left that night, around 2 a.m. with some
soldiers to go and bring what we requested. He
did not come back again.”
At around 8 a.m. on August 5, Colonel E.A
Aladeniyi, an intelligence officer, arrived at the
soldiers’ camp accompanied by some military
police personnel.
“He (Aladeniyi) said we should dress up, that
he’s moving us (from that primary school) to
7th Division in Maiduguri. We were about 67 in
number.
“He said it’s a new order. He left with six
soldiers because the vehicle he came with
cannot contain all of us.
“Later, Captain Suleiman, a military police
officer, came in with civilian JTF and, before we
knew anything, they started dislodging our tent.
They did not say a word to us until they left.”
The soldier said they were then asked by their
Regimental Sergeant Major, Warrant Officer Idris
Danladi, to move to Sector 7 HQ – their
administrative headquarters in Maiduguri.
“We did not see Lt. Col. Timothy again till the
10th. He asked us to gather, that he tried his
best but did not succeed. That the GOC was
angry.”
On August 18, the Boko Haram terrorists
attacked Delwa, and the soldier and his group
were given an APC to go and “extricate” their
colleagues from the attack.
“We were the ones that repelled the terrorists.
Even (Commander) Timothy commended us,” he
said.
“On 23rd August, they asked us to file. We
thought it was for the GOC (Major General M.Y
Ibrahim) to commend us for the battle on the
18th and 19th but the GOC did not come.
“It was Major Yaro, a military police, that came
and asked us to write statements about what
happened on the 4th.
“On getting to Abuja, what we saw was criminal
conspiracy and mutiny, a two-count charge.”

Cc lalasticlala

http://opeyemiie..co.ke/2015/12/convicted-nigerian-soldiers-held.html?m=1

Aceed:
These are the things in the military world, why do you think they are feared...
Not agreeing to go into battle in the army because you don't have sufficient/suitable weapons is a big taboo in any country of the world!
They bleeped up they should deal with it!

I don't get Have you written an exam without a pen before or a pen with dried ink in it?

These are the things in the military world, why do you think they are feared...
Not agreeing to go into battle in the army because you don't have sufficient/suitable weapons is a big taboo in any country of the world!
They bleeped up they should deal with it!

So touching. It shall not be well with all those that are deliberately oppressing ans sabotaging our soldiers

TonyeBarcanista:
So touching. It shall not be well with all those that are deliberately oppressing ans sabotaging our soldiers

AMIN please can u comprehend what the poster above you is saying?

LuckyLadolce:
I don't get Have you written an exam without a pen before or a pen with dried ink in it?

Hhaaaaaaa! Na Ebele Jonathan & Sambo Dasuki cause the wahala for these soldiers

LuckyLadolce:
AMIN please can u comprehend what the poster above you is saying?

Don't mind hÍm. It's only those that are ignorant of what is going on will spew such

TonyeBarcanista:

Don't mind hÍm. It's only those that are ignorant of what is going on will spew such

Thanks sir. I was just confused.

Zoharariel:


Hhaaaaaaa! Na Ebele Jonathan & Sambo Dasuki cause the wahala for these soldiers

lolz

Aceed:


If I was in the military and it was commanded of me, I will have to do it by hook or crook, not writing the exam because I don't have a pen isn't an option...but unfortunately for you I'm a civilian and my civilian law is considerate.

It just like saying that I'm an assassin and I'm to assassinate a target who can only be killed by a specific weapon which is not given to me, will I tell my master that I won't kill the man?

Was the man you were going for aware you are a killer? Was he armed like boko harram? Oga u dont have point.. it's not even logical at all.

That you're not in the military is not an excuse for u not to join the fight against boko harram. U volunteer like civilian jtf did. U just need to do a write up here on nairaland and u will jst see government officials at ur door step tomorrow to pick u up for the fight. Very simple.

Where is falana when you need him most?

Seriously, i blame GEJ. How can you send me to fight well armed terrorists with daggers while Dasuki is somewhere enjoying the money that was meant for arms purchase. I dont blame the soldiers

They should all be released

Aceed:


An assassin knows only two things - targets and non-targets - even if the target is a fly and the non-target is a psycho...
Its your point thats baseless, the military have their laws and according to their laws those soldiers erred greatly, therefore, they are to be dealt with according to the military law and you are complaining because its inhumane to you, a civilian who abides by civil laws.

Do you expect them to use the 1999 constitution in their martial court?

it's wrong in any military of the world to send soldiers to war front without arms. So are u telling me it's there in the martial law that soldiers should be sent to war front even without arms? I'm very sure you haven't even seen a riot before let alone a war that's why you're spewing all these... Get me the martial law book and show me where it's written that a soldier should be sent to war without arms.

LuckyLadolce:
it's wrong in any military of the world to send soldiers to war front without arms. So are u telling it's there in the martial law that soldiers should be sent to war front even without arms? I'm very sure you haven't even seen a riot before let alone a war that's why you're spewing all these... Get me the martial law book and show me where it's written that a soldier should be sent to war without arms.

u r right

LuckyLadolce:
it's wrong in any military of the world to send soldiers to war front without arms. So are u telling me it's there in the martial law that soldiers should be sent to war front even without arms? I'm very sure you haven't even seen a riot before let alone a war that's why you're spewing all these... Get me the martial law book and show me where it's written that a soldier should be sent to war without arms.

even though things are expensive, I can still kindly dash you my 2kobo.
he is having a strong view(rightly or wrong) which he is not ready to change, stop trying to convince him to look from your angle.
Buratai and PMB, pls look into this palava, their blood will seek for vengeance from you because you are the authority now.

OlujobaSamuel:

even though things are expensive, I can still kindly dash you my 2kobo.
he is having a strong view(rightly or wrong) which he is not ready to change, stop trying to convince him to look from your angle.
Buratai and PMB, pls look into this palava, their blood will seek for vengeance from you because you are the authority now.

hmmmm

TonyeBarcanista:
So touching. It shall not be well with all those that are deliberately oppressing ans sabotaging our soldiers

haaa let's b praying for dem.... may b God will change deir mind towards dem