The Nigerian Army has rejected insinuations that a Court Martial it set up in 82 Division, Enugu to try some erring soldiers freed two personnel who were facing murder charges and re-absorbed them into service because they were northerners.
Director, Army Public Relations, Maj.-Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu made the clarifications in a statement on Saturday in Abuja.
Sahara Reporters had quoted multiple military sources as confirming that two soldiers, Pte Usman Shonva and one Audu, were freed and re-absorbed into service because they were of northern extraction.
While Shonva allegedly shot and killed one of his course mates in Ohafia, Abia State in 2022, Audu was accused of killing a Togolese national and one other person in Anambra State.
The duo was part of 25 soldiers and an officer being court-martialled in the 82 Division for various offences, the Army disclosed in October 2023.
But reacting, the Army described the report that Pte Usman Shonva and one Audu were freed based on their place of origin as “appalling misinformation”.
“The Nigerian Army (NA) has noted the appalling misinformation being circulated by an online media platform, that some allegedly aggrieved soldiers who were recently arraigned before a Court Martial in 82 Division, Enugu expressed concern that there was a deliberate effort to convict soldiers of Southern extraction, while those from Northern Nigeria were allowed to go free.
“Contrary to the misleading report being circulated to cause disharmony within the NA and by extension the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN), the NA wishes to clarify and unequivocally aver that the report is entirely bereft of any strand of truth and ultimately aimed at disparaging the current leadership of the NA in particular and the AFN in general, using the instrumentality of ethnic and religious bigotry,” the statement read in part.
The Army noted that the composition of the Court Martial was not based on regional representation, rather, the membership of the court was diverse, with personnel drawn from various regions of the country.
“It is exigent to note that the President of the Court Martial is of northern extraction, while the Judge Advocate is from the South.
“Additionally, 60 per cent of the Court Martial members are of Southern extraction, demonstrating a fair and balanced representation, even though religion and ethnicity are not major focal criteria in the decision-making process of the NA,” the Army further said.
According to the Army statement, the decision of a Court Martial is collective and based on evidence presented during the trial.
It insisted that the said Court Martial tried the personnel, irrespective of their ethnic and religious affiliations and the outcome was determined strictly based on the evidence presented.
“In espousing the position of the NA in the cases mentioned in the report, taking that of Pte Usman Shonva for instance, wherein evidence revealed that there were other soldiers at the scene of the incident, who also fired their weapons, hence, the court, based on this finding among others, reached the conclusion that the shot that killed the dead soldier could have been fired by any of the soldiers at the scene, thus, leading to his discharge and acquittal.
“It must be emphasised, that the NA does not task its personnel (including for court martial membership) on a regional basis in order to achieve “national spread”.
“The NA is a composite national institution and not an ethnic militia. It will therefore not bite the odious bait being dangled to induce splintering along sectional, ethnic and religious fissures.
“The court martial proceedings were conducted in a fair and unbiased manner. It is advisable therefore, that the concerned online media refrains from peddling misinformation capable of engendering disaffection and disharmony among NA personnel, other services and security personnel.
“We urge the public to note the true picture and discountenance the false report published by the online media platform. Continued spread of the misinformation will only serve the ulterior motive of the author, which is to cause disharmony in the NA.
“The NA is committed to upholding justice, equity and discipline within its ranks, and will continue to ensure that all personnel are treated fairly and in accordance with the law,” the Army added.