The Nigerian Army has disclosed that about 579 officers and soldiers are currently facing General Court-Martial (GCM) in Lagos and Abuja for various offences ranging from acts of cowardice, desertion and sabotage.
The Director of Army Public Relations (DAPR), Col. Sani Usman, confirmed this wednesday in Abuja, during the press briefing on the activities of the Nigerian Army within the period under review.
Usman said: “There are currently, two separate court martials going on in the Army Headquarters Garrison Command, Abuja, and 81 Division, Nigerian Army, Abuja with a view to ensuring quick dispensation of justice, discipline and professionalism."
He said that about 473 officers and soldiers are facing the court martial in Army Headquarters, Garison in Abuja, while 106 officers and soldiers are standing trial in 81 Division, Lagos.
According to him, "It is a common practice in the military that anyone who runs foul of the law and the authorities felt that he could not be summarily dismissed, must go to the court martial."
Meanwhile, the soldiers are alleged to be facing trials over offences ranging from insubordination, acts of cowardice, refusal to carry out orders, indiscipline, and Absence Without Leave (AWOL), amongst others.
Usman while fielding questions from journalists, refused to speak on the fate of 66 soldiers who were sentenced to death last year for mutiny by a GCM sitting at the AHQ Garison, Abuja, urging members of the public to wait for the decision of the Army Council.
It was alleged that lawyers to the 66 soldiers are having difficulties appealing their death sentence and secure their freedom, because the processes have not been completed, which is dependent on the final decision of the Army Council on the matter.
According to the procedure, the Army Council, would have to meet and confirm the sentences where if upheld, the lawyers would be at liberty to appeal to a conventional higher court.
Considering that the GCM was already depleting the number of personnel needed for the ongoing Counter-Terrorism and Counter-Insurgency (CT COIN) in the country, Usman said the army was already adding to the personnel strength of the force in the North-east.
He said 481 personnel of the armed Forces Special Forces, which comprised personnel of the army, navy, air force and the police, have completed their training and inducted into the theatre of operations within Z Division area of responsibility.
Similarly, the Army spokesman said that one additional battalion, 151 Battalion, has completed its training and inducted into the theatre, while two battalions, 152 and 153 Battalions are currently undergoing training and would be inducted on completion.
"Additionally, Army Headquarters Task Force Group is currently in the last phase of their training while Nigerian Army Armoured School, Bauchi, has intensified training of Tank Crew personnel. Moreover, personnel training on Improvised Explosive Devices, (IEDs) in the United Kingdom and United States is ongoing," Usman said.
He also disclosed that 2,388 members of 72 Regular Recruits Intake at the Nigerian Army Depot, Zaria, Kaduna State, would pass out on Friday May 22, which would also boost the personnel strength of the army.
Speaking further, Usman attributed recent successes recorded in operations against the terrorists in the North-east and indeed other operations within the country to the infusion of these specially-trained personnel and are manifestations of Nigerian Army’s huge investment in human and material resources within the period.
He said the Nigerian Army administrative policies and procedures which were last reviewed in 2005 has recently been reviewed to be in line with current and future realities.
“To ease the problems associated with retiring Nigerian Army officers, a one-stop documentation procedure was devised recently. An office of the Deputy Director Retirement and Documentation was established at the Army Headquarters Department of Administration with a 90-day time line of documenting and processing retiring officers’ benefits.
“Similarly, a system of annual update of Nigerian Army personnel Next-of-Kins has been devised. This is intended to eliminate the hardship hitherto experienced by families and in particular, the Next-of-Kins of our fallen colleagues", he said.
In April, he noted, 20 next-of-kins received cheques for payment of Group Life Insurance entitled to them while a total of 235 next-of-kins benefitted from the special assistance by the office of the National Security Adviser.
Similarly, Usman revealed that over 2,000 children of deceased personnel were screened and passed for NA scholarship for 2014/2015 academic session.
Furthermore, he said, up to 20 families have also benefited from the official burial expenses within the last month in addition to the Chief of Army Staff’s token which was intended to provide immediate succour to the families.
In another development, the army spokesman said Boko Haram terrorists have reverted to using increasing number of young girls and women as suicide bombers and assured that the military are upping their game to ensure that no new territories including Marte would be lost to the terrorists again.
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