February 16, 2016
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- Law News, Nigeria News
The Nigerian Army has inaugurated a General Court-Martial to try 24 personnel of the service for various offences.
It was learnt on Monday that the court, which was convened on the orders of the Commander, Army Headquarters Garrison, Abuja, had Brig. Gen. J.M. Chima as the President.
A lawyer confided in one of our correspondents that four officers and 20 soldiers were being prosecuted by the court martial.
It was stated that among the four officers were two lieutenant colonels and two captains.
It was further gathered that the junior ranks were facing prosecution for allegedly running away from the operational areas in the North-East, disobedience to instruction and cowardice.
It was learnt that the Brig. Gen. Chima-led court would commence hearing into the cases against the officers and soldiers who would be arraigned on Wednesday.
The source said, “The General Military-Court Martial was convened today (Monday) by the Army authorities at the Army Headquarters Garrison, Abuja.
“For now, the court will handle the cases against 24 Army officers and soldiers. The officers comprise two lieutenant colonels and two captains.
“Today was just for the inauguration of the court. The court will start sitting to hear the cases against the accused persons on Wednesday (tomorrow). The President of the court is Brig. Gen. J.M. Chima. You know it is a panel, there are other members of the court but he is the President.
“The officers are being accused of releasing official information while the soldiers are facing various charges ranging from running away without order, disobedience to instruction and cowardice which is very grave.”
It was further stated that the court-martial was also expected to try the cases involving two brigadier generals who were recalled from foreign mission.
It was stated that the affected officers were already in the custody of the Army authorities.
The source said that one of the officers was being investigated in relation with an alleged misappropriation of funds meant for the allowances of troops on foreign mission.
His counterpart was alleged to have approached the UN for extension of his posting, instead of initiating the move from the Army headquarters.
The source explained that the authorities decided to summon the general for trial for allegedly breaching procedure for communication in the service.
“There are two other very senior officers, who are brigadier generals. One is to be tried in connection with funds meant for troops on a foreign mission, the other is accused of seeking extension of posting from the UN instead of passing through the request through the Army.
“They are saying he did not follow the procedure as stated in the service.”
The Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Col. Sani Usman, had said on Sunday that there was an ongoing military court-martial at the Army Headquarters Garrison, Abuja, but he did not give further details.
When one of our correspondents contacted Usman, he said that he would call him back.
However, Usman had not returned the call as of the time of filing this report by 5:40pm on Monday.
Meanwhile, the Commander of the Special Task Force, also known as ‘Operation Safe Haven’, Maj. Gen. Tagbo Ude, has warned officers and men in the security outfit against indiscipline.
Ude said this while inaugurating a General Court-Martial at the Maxwell Khobe Cantonment of the Armoured Division of the Nigerian Army in Jos on Monday.\
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