54 soldiers including two Corporals, nine Lance
Corporals and 49 Private soldiers attached to the
7 Division Nigerian Army in Maiduguri Borno state
have been sentenced to death by firing squad for
mutiny by a court marshal that sat in Abuja today
Wednesday December 17th. The soldiers were
convicted on a a two-count charge of criminal
conspiracy to commit mutiny.
According to the charge sheet, the soldiers
conspired to commit mutiny against their superior
at the 7 Division on August 4 at the Mulai Primary
School camp, opposite AIT Maiduguri, Borno state.
Captain J.E. Nwosu, an army Captain who is the
prosecutor in the case, told the marshal panel
that the accused soldiers had on August 4, in
Maiduguri, refused to join the 111 Special Forces
Battalion troops, commanded by Timothy Opurum,
a Lieutenant Colonel for an operation which was
meant to recapture Delwa, Bulabulin and Damboa
in Borno State from members of Boko Haram.
Captain J.E Nwosu in his submission said the
offence is punishable under Section 52(1) (a) of
the Armed Forces Act Cap A20 Laws of the
Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
The commander of the 111 Special Forces, Lt.-
Col. Opurum, while testifying before the panel as
a witness, said in the recapture operation, only 4
officers and 29 soldiers participated in that
particular operation with other soldiers hesitant to
participate.
This brings to 66 the number of soldiers sentenced
to death for mutiny. Their sentencing however is
to be ratified by senior military authorities.
Source: Premium Times
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