Sequel to the mutiny that occurred in Boko Haram-haunted Maiduguri, Borno State, four months ago when some men of the Nigerian Army fired shots at their commanding officer, 12 soldiers have been sentenced to death.
The judgement was handed to the revolting soldiers in Abuja on Tuesday, by a nine-man Military Tribunal, led by Brigadier General Chukwuemeka Okonkwo.
While not downplaying on the gravity of the offence committed by the officers, Okonkwo said the punishment handed to the soldiers was subject to ratification by Nigeria’s military authorities.
“What we considered was the likely effect of the men’s action on the counter-insurgency operations in the northeast as well as its implications on national security,” Okonkwo said explaining how the tribunal measured the matter.
The soldiers tried were 18 in number. The charges include mutiny, criminal conspiracy, attempted murder, disobeying orders, insubordination and false accusation.
Asides the 12 sentenced to death, one was sentenced to 28days of hard labour, while five men were were acquitted. All pleaded not guilty.
The military revolt leading to the tribunal had occurred on 14th May, a month after more than 200 schoolgirls were abducted from their dormitory in Government Girls Secondary School (GGSS), Chibok Borno State.
The men had been among soldiers from 101 Battalion who were deployed to counter the abductors and rescue the girls, but the insurgents had killed many of them in an ambush while on the mission.
On returning to base, the men had opened fire at a convoy conveying the 7th Division commander, General Amadu Mohammed at an army medical centre in Maiduguri. They had demanded an explanation of the incident from Mohammed.
According to witnesses, Mohammed had escaped serious injuries or even death by the skin of his teeth.
“The soldiers succeeded in shooting at his staff car, thereby causing bullet impressions at the right rear door where the GOC (general officer commanding) sat,” Okonkwo said at the tribunal. “Thank God for the staff officer who rushed him into his car and the fact that the staff car is an armoured vehicle.”
The tribunal judgement comes at a time when there is much debate on the quality of equipment at the disposal of the Nigerian Army. President Goodluck Jonathan had asked lawmakers to approve a $1 billion (750 million euros) foreign loan to upgrade the capacity of the military. Meanwhile there have been calls from several quarters, especially the All Progressives Party (APC) for investigations into security votes in Nigeria’s budget for the past two years.
