Army Sentences 54 Soldiers To Death Over Mutiny

The Nigerian Army, yesterday sentenced 54 soldiers to death after they were convicted on a two count charge of criminal conspiracy to commit mutiny. Five others were however acquitted.

 The soldiers were the second batch of Nigerian soldiers sentenced to death by the Military courts for mutiny sometime in October.
According to the charge sheet, the soldiers conspired to commit mutiny against the authorities of the Army 7 Division where they were attached on August 4 at the Mulai Primary School Camp, opposite AIT Maiduguri, Borno State.
The convicted soldiers who were mostly officers involved in the on- going fight against the Boko Haram terrorists in the North-East, were sentenced to death by firing squad. The soldiers include two Corporals, Cpl, nine Lance Corporals, LCpl and 49 Private soldiers.
The trial of the soldiers began on October 15 on the allegations they disobeyed orders to join operations against Boko Haram. But the soldiers pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The prosecutor, Army Captain J.E. Nwosu, alleged that the accused soldiers had on August 4, in Maiduguri, refused to join the 111 Special Forces Battalion troops, commanded by Lt Col. Timothy Opurum, for an operation.
Nwosu added the operation was meant to recapture Delwa, Bulabulin and Damboa in Borno State from the Boko Haram terrorists. According to him, the offence is contrary to Section 52(1) (a) of the Armed Forces Act Cap A20 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
The prosecution called the commander of the 111 Special Forces, Lt.-Col. Opurum, as one of the witnesses.
The statement of the commander was admitted by the court and marked Exhibit P1.
In his testimony in October, Opurum said soldiers Were tasked with advancing to recapture Delwa to clear the way for other battalions to pass through to recapture Babulin and Damboa from the insurgents.
He said he took off for the operation with only four officers and 29 soldiers as “tasked” after majority of the 174 soldiers in the unit refused to join the operation.
Opurum further said after he took charge of the Special Forces, he addressed and assured them that they could achieve the task given to them. He, however, said the soldiers were “hesitant to partake in the operation” in spite of the assurances.
Under cross- examination by lawyer to the accused, Mr Femi Falana (SAN), Opurum said 47 of the soldiers who initially refused, later re-joined the forces for another operation.
Opurum said the 47 soldiers joined after he called for reinforcement as they came under attack from terrorists, who out-numbered them and had superior weapons.
Asked if the soldiers refused to fight or refused to join the operation because of lack of superior weapons, he said all units in the North-East had requested for weapons.
On the disciplinary measure taken against the 47 soldiers, who initially refused, he said the process for that was to begin when they were court-martialled.
But Falana I had in an oral application, asked to the court for the record of weapons recovered from the 47 soldiers, when they initially refused to join the operations.
The President of the Court, Brig.-Gen. Mohammed Yusuf, said the application had been noted “for action.”
The General Court Martial was inaugurated on October 2 to try 97 soldiers, including 15 senior officers for mutiny.