130 Soldiers and 28 Officers to Be Court-Martialled for Offences in Maiduguri
Military authorities have revealed that 158 army personnel will face court-martial for various offences in Maiduguri. The personnel comprise 28 officers and 130 soldiers who will be tried at the Maimalari cantonment in Maiduguri, Bornu State.
The personnel will be tried at a general court-martial and a special court-martial at the officers’ mess within the military barracks.
This development was announced by the Theatre Commander of the Joint Task Force in the North-East, Major-General Christopher Musa. He said the personnel will be tried in offensive matters that relate to regimentation, discipline, efficiency, and morale.
Musa has also constituted the panel that will make up the court-martial. These are:
- Major-General Bainze Mohammed
- Brigadier-General Dominic Udofa
- Squadron Leader Audu Satomi
- Lieutenant-Colonel Rotimi Bakari
According to Musa, convicted soldiers may face disciplinary actions according to military laws. He stated that the Army must be well-disciplined to be able to defend the territorial integrity of the nation.
“As we all know, courts martial trials are regimental and judicial exercises, the end of which may review, reduce or remove the rights and privileges of any convicted service personnel,” he stated. “To maintain the armed forces in a state of readiness, the military as an institution must be ready to enforce internal discipline effectively in accordance with the extant laws.”
The theatre commandant made it clear that a court-martial is not only to try offending soldiers, but to dispose cases speedily and award punishments on convicted personnel.
He said fair hearing will be implemented during the process in line with military statutes and the Constitution of Nigeria. He noted that a court-martial follows the Code of Service to meet the peculiar disciplinary needs of the Nigerian Army.
Major-General Bainze Mohammed is the president of the general court-martial.
