Six personnel of the Nigerian Army’s 3 Division in Rukuba, near Jos, faced dismissal and imprisonment, while two others received sanctions for a range of offenses, as reported by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday.
The General Court Martial of the division handed down the dismissals and sanctions after a thorough review of the soldiers’ actions. Presiding over the court martial, Brig.-Gen. Liafis Bello emphasized that the soldiers were found guilty of serious offenses including theft, illegal arms sales, criminal conspiracy, intimidation, and cheating civilians.
Brig.-Gen. Bello underscored that the court adhered strictly to the provisions of the 1999 Constitution, the Armed Forces Act (Rules of Procedure) 1972, and other applicable laws in reaching its verdicts. He emphasized the importance of maintaining military discipline and upholding the laws of Nigeria.
The court’s decisions resulted from a comprehensive examination of the allegations against the accused, following the convening of the court on February 17 by Maj.-Gen. Abdusalam Abubakar, the General Officer Commanding the division.
Bello reiterated the significance of military justice in ensuring adherence to service discipline, emphasizing that the dismissed personnel, mainly corporals and sergeants, were also demoted to the rank of private soldiers.
Throughout the proceedings, the court upheld the principles of natural justice, equity, and fairness, guided by Nigeria’s constitutional provisions and relevant laws.