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Army Admits Officers’ Involvement In Kidnapping …Court Martial Major, Captains, Others In Rivers
Ostensibly succumbing to the civilian population’s persistent allegations accusing the Nigerian Army of unwittingly encouraging kidnappings, extra-judicial killings of innocent Rivers youths, cult-related violence in communities and other forms of criminalities, the Army High Command has inaugurated a military court martial to prosecute those found culpable in the crimes in the state.
Consequently, no fewer than 14 personnel, including an Army major, two captains and 11 soldiers are among others currently facing a seven-member court martial over their alleged involvement in murder, kidnapping and other serious offences.
The General Officer Commanding (GOC), 6 Division of the Nigeria Army, Major General Jamil Sarham, disclosed this during the inauguration of the General Court Martial at the Army Division (Bori Camp), the Division’s headquarters in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, last weekend.
Sarham stated that the court martial remained one of the apparatus used by the Nigerian Armed Forces to discipline erring personnel; just as he listed other offences of the accused persons as attempted murder, kidnapping, desertion, crime in relation to public and services property, disobedience to standing orders and conducts to the prejudice to service discipline.
Sarham, who is also the Land Component Commander, Operation Delta Safe, said, “The Nigerian Army is a creation of the Nigerian Constitution to carry out specific tasks to support the government effort in providing security for the Nigerian Nation.
He said, “To achieve this, a discipline and professional Armed Forces is imperative and this is in line with the Chief of Army Staff’s vision which is to have a professionally responsive Nigerian Army in the discharge of its constitutional roles.
“There is no gainsaying that unless such a body of professionals is disciplined, achieving victory in battle and other specified assignments would not be easy.
“Section 131 of the Armed Forces Act therefore conferred on me the power to convene this General Court Martial and by so doing to try the accused persons who have allegedly violated some codes guiding our professional conduct.
“The offences for which the accused persons are being tried ranges from murder, attempted murder, kidnapping, desertion, offences in relation to public and services property, disobedience to standing orders and conducts to the prejudice to service discipline, all punishable under the Armed Forces Act CAP A20 Law of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
“We have a total of 14 accused persons; three officers and 11 soldiers. Among them is one Major, two Captains, two Staff Sergeants and one Sergeant and others.”
The GOC, 6 Division explained that the accused persons had earlier being thoroughly investigated to ensure that no innocent person was wrongly tried and punished, promising that justice will be done in all the cases.
“The establishment of court martial is predicated on the fact that the Armed Forces of Nigeria holds its personnel in high esteem hence its resolve to ensure that a thorough investigation must be conducted before any suspect can be put on trial as it is in the instant case.
“Let me at this juncture assure all of us that justice will not only be done on this entire trial but be seen to have been done. This is not only because the case against each accused person was thoroughly investigated to ensure that an innocent person is not wrongly tried and punished as I pointed out earlier.
“Also, HQ 6 Division has painstakingly selected credible officers as members of the Court Martial to ensure fair hearing and justice. In addition to that, due regard was accorded to these officers having indebt knowledge of military law and outstanding experience of military duties,” the GOC added.
Major general Sarham however, urge the members to be just and fair in the conduct of the trial to ensure that each accused person was given a fair trial.
He further said, “Trial is not only aimed at seeing that offenders are punished, but to serve as deterrent to others so as to prevent future occurrence. In this light, justice therefore, is a three-way traffic; justice for the accused, justice for the victim and justice for the state.I must state clearly that the accused persons are presumed innocent of the offences charged against them until proven guilty by this court”.
Speaking, the President of the Court Martial, Brig Gen. Bassey Etuk, promised that the court martial would ensure that justice prevailed.
“I want to assure you (Sarham) that based on the confidence you repose in me and my members, we will do justice,” Etuk said.
Meanwhile, the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) has condemned reports of the alleged killing of three security personnel of the Nigerian Army and Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) around Gio Community in Tai Local Government Area, Ogoniland, Rivers State by suspected gangsters and cultists, carting away their weapons.
In a statement in Port Harcourt, yesterday, MOSOP said that the killings were uncalled for and dastardly.
The statement reads, “MOSOP condemns the action of the youths and gangsters that allegedly killed the officers and personnels of the Army and Civil Defense Corps and called on the youths of Ogoniland to stop such acts against security personnels posted to Ogoniland on official duties to avoid confrontation with security personnels that would lead to the killing of innocent villagers.
“Because too wrongs cannot make a right, we also condemn the invasion of Gio Community in Tai LGA and surrounding communities by Army personnels from the 6 Division of the Nigerian Army,” MOSOP added, and urged all parties to sheathe their swords, and let peace reign in the area.
Susan Serekara-Nwikhana & Dennis Naku
Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.
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