Two soldiers who brutalised a physically- challenged man in Onitsha, Anambra state have been demoted and jailed by the Nigerian Army.
A video clip where the soldiers beat up the man for wearing camouflage has since gone viral.
In a statement made available to TheCable on Friday, Sani Usman, director of army public relations, said the officers would forfeit 21 days pay.
“Sequel to the video clip of two soldiers maltreating a physically-challenged man on the streets of Onitsha, Anambra state, last Tuesday, in line with our zero tolerance of infringement of human rights by troops, those involved; Corporal Bature Samuel and Corporal Abdulazeez Usman of 82 Provost Company, have been arrested, summarily tried based on 2 count charges and found guilty,” the statement read.
“Consequently, both have been sentenced to reduction in rank; from Corporal to Private Soldiers and 21 days imprisonment with hard labour (IHL) respectively, which includes forfeiture of 21 days pay to the federal government of Nigeria.
“The Nigerian army has also reached out to the victim of their unjustifiable assault, Mr. Chijoke Uraku (alias CJ), as widely reported by the media.
“We wish to reiterate our avowed determination to ensure that troops conduct themselves in the most orderly and professional manner at all times. Any act of indiscipline would not be tolerated.”
It will be recalled that the two soldiers descended mercilessly on a physically-challenged man for putting on camouflage Onitsha, one of the cities in Anambra state.
In a video, which one Ifeanyichukwu Emmanuel uploaded on Facebook, the wheel chair of the victim was seized from him and thrown to a corner.
The officers, who were communicating in Igbo language, were heard saying: “Stubborn! Stubborn!”
One of them had a gun and horsewhip, while the other had just a horsewhip.
They dragged the man on the floor, and used the whips on him at intervals. He screamed out of pain, but no one could come to his rescue.
A crowd of onlookers watched helplessly from a distance. Vehicles and motorcycles passed through the busy road while the security agents were maltreating the individual.
They later abandoned him and jumped into their waiting van, which was parked right in the middle of the road throughout the period that the assault lasted.
It is not clear when the incident happened.