News

Court Marshall: Army Begins Review Of Soldiers’ Cases

Published

9 years ago

August 3, 2015

President Muhammadu Buhari (middle), Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo (7th left), Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum, Mr Taiya Haruna (6th right), Permanent Secretary, State House, Mr Nebolisa Emordi (2nd left), with directors in the Ministry of Petroleum, after a meeting with President Buhari at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, recently.

The Nigerian Army yesterday announced that it is reviewing the cases of all soldiers who were disciplined for various offences through court marshals.
It would be recalled that under the previous administration, dozens of soldiers were sentenced to death, life imprisonment and other punishment for various offences including mutiny, desertion, and disobedience of lawful orders.
Majority of the sentences, carried out in various military courts, have been appealed by counsel to the affected officials, and condemned by local and international rights groups.
However, yesterday, the Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Sani Usman, said the army was itself already reviewing the punishments.
“For the avoidance of doubt it should be noted that the Nigerian Army is reviewing all recent disciplinary cases due to the wave of litigations and petitions by some aggrieved personnel,” Usman said.
The spokesperson, however, added that the “public should not misconstrue the recent directive to mean total recall of dismissed and deserter soldiers.”
Among the soldiers whose cases would be reviewed are the 54 sentenced to death on December 17, 2014.
They were convicted for conspiracy to commit mutiny, and mutiny, and sentenced to death by firing squad.
In a trial that began in October, the soldiers, from the 111 Special Forces, were charged for disobeying a direct order from their commanding officer, Timothy Opurum, a Lieutenant Colonel, to take part in an operation to recapture Delwa, Bulabulin and Damboa in Borno State from Boko Haram terrorists on August 4.
Some of the accused soldiers testified that they refused to take part in the operation following the failure of the army to provide them with the necessary support equipment.
They explained that owing to a lack of equipment, they lost three officers, 23 soldiers plus 83 others suffering various degrees of injuries after their units were ambushed by Boko Haram fighters during an operation to retake the town of Bulabulin in Borno on July 9.
Some of the accused soldiers said they did not attend the briefing where the operation was announced, while others said they did not join the mission because they were ill, and there was no medical personal attached to their unit to give medical assistance.
Two other soldiers said they were given leave to attend to some administrative problems as at the time of the briefing.
Much of the trial was conducted in secret as journalists were barred mid-way into the deliberations.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) yesterday said its fighter jets have successfully combined with ground troops to repel the latest Boko Haram attack on Bita village in Borno State.
This was confirmed in a statement issued by the Director of Public Relations and Information, NAF Headquarters, Air Commodore Dele Alonge.
He said a large number of insurgents were killed in the operation, carried out by Nigerian forces in the area.
Alonge said the Nigerian Air Force would continue to provide combat air support to the ground force in all operations carried out by Nigerian troops in the North East.
“The Nigerian Air Force using its Alpha-Jet,, provided combat air support to the ground force to attack the insurgents where they were observed to be mopping up to carry out a deadly attack on the village.
“Consequently, a large number of the insurgents were killed and several others, injured,” he said.
Alonge said the NAF Alpha-Jet also conducted an armed reconnaissance along Bita to Gwoza road, and through Yamtege, Hamdaga, Dure and Pulka.
According to him, NAF will continue to give all necessary support to the ground force, through its intensified and persistent efforts in the ongoing fight against Boko Haram.
He said the momentum would be sustained in the ongoing operations against the terrorists in the North East, until all portions of Nigeria’s territory were safe and free from the insurgents.
The new Chief of the Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Sadeeq Abubakar, has pledged to improve NAF fire power in the ongoing fight against Boko Haram.

News

Why Wike Is Playing God In Rivers -Asari Dokubo

Published

6 hours ago

May 15, 2024

The Tide

A former Niger Delta militant, Asari Dokubo, has claimed that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, is “playing god” in the current political crisis that has pitched him against the Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara.
Dokubo also chided President Bola Tinubu for, according to him, handing over “Rivers and Bayelsa” to the ex-governor.
“He is now playing god. It is dead on arrival, all those things that he is doing,” Dokubo said in a video that surfaced on X.com on Monday.
He added, “I advise my friend, President Bola Tinubu; what you are doing to all Ijaw, Ikwerre people in Rivers State (sic). You took Rivers state and gave it one man”
In April, Fubara revealed that the administration has raised the monthly Internally Generated Revenue of the state from N12 billion which he met upon assumption of office to N27 billion.
Dokubo described the development as commendable while alleging that the governor only had access to N6 billion when he assumed office.
“The governor had come out to say that the IGR for Rivers State is now N27bn up from N12bn. The governor is even being economical with the truth. When the governor came in, they were giving him a paltry sum of N6bn,” he said.
Meanwhile, in another twist to the ongoing crisis, Fubara on Monday said that he would set up a panel of inquiry to look into the affairs of governance in the state.
He disclosed this during the swearing-in and administration of the oath of office on Dagogo Iboroma, SAN, as the Attorney General of the state and Commissioner for Justice.
The governor criticized recent comments by the former Attorney-General of the State and Justice Commissioner, Prof. Zacchaeus Adangor, SAN, who resigned from his cabinet over a fortnight ago and urged the new Attorney-General to defend the state.
He stated, “It is not the one that while you were here… the only thing you do is to sabotage the government.
“Instead of you to close your mouth, you publicly claim that you’re a learned person to tell people that you’re the Chief Law Officer. Chief Law Officer, you were here and went to stand before a Magistrate Court.
“At that time you didn’t remember that you’re a Chief Law Officer going against the ethics of your job.”

News

Investors, Tourists To Get Visa Within 48 Hours, FG Assures

Published

7 hours ago

May 15, 2024

The Tide

The Federal Executive Council chaired by President Bola Tinubu has approved the establishment of a tripartite committee to streamline visa processes and acquisition for investors interested in investing in Nigeria.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, revealed this, yesterday, after the FEC meeting held at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
“Our visa processes are becoming cumbersome. The ease of doing business is also tied to our visa processes.
“Going forward, those investors, tourists would find it easy to acquire a visa within the next 48 hours,” Idris said.
The meeting which began on Monday was adjourned till Tuesday to allow for other “far-reaching” decisions, the information minister had told journalists.

News

Panel To Probe Governance In Rivers Underway -Fubara …Swears In Iboroma As New Attorney-General

Published

7 hours ago

May 15, 2024

The Tide

Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has declared his readiness to set up a panel of inquiry to look into the affairs of governance in the state.
Fubara disclosed this during the swearing-in and administration of the oath of office on Dagogo Iboroma, SAN, as the new Attorney General of the state and Commissioner for Justice.
The governor criticised recent comments by the former Attorney-General of the State and Justice Commissioner, Prof. Zacchaeus Adangor, SAN, who resigned from his cabinet over a fortnight ago and urged the new Attorney-General to defend the state.
Fubara stated, “It is not the one that while you were here… the only thing you do is to sabotage the government.
“Instead of you to close your mouth, you publicly claim that you’re a learned person to tell people that you’re the Chief Law Officer. Chief Law Officer, you were here and went to stand before a Magistrate Court.
“At that time you didn’t remember that you’re a Chief Law Officer going against the ethics of your job.”
Addressing the new AG, the governor said, “You have a big task. As it is today in the local parlance, they say the jungle has matured. We will be setting a panel of inquiry to investigate the affair of governance.”
The governor further said there was a deliberate attempt to sabotage his administration, saying, “If we disagree, no matter how bad it is, it should be resolved.
“But it has become very clear that this disagreement there is no headway to it, and for many reasons, there is very visible evidence that there is sabotage, a deliberate attempt to sabotage this administration.
“Maybe where they are they are telling them nothing will happen, it is happening here live, we have our own legislators that are performing their duties according to the Constitution. So that record is threatened.”