SAY NO TO THE MURDER OF OUR 12 PATRIOTIC SOLDIERS

SAY NO TO THE MURDER OF OUR 12  PATRIOTIC SOLDIERS

By kay Aderibgbe

 

The Nigerian Army in the last 15 years have taken a leave from televised politics, but cannot be said to have completely divorced itself from Nigerian politics because of some unprofessional happenings that have stained the credibility of the force. Top on the list of the misconducts typical of military elites is financial misappropriation which has culminated into depletion of the nation's arsenal and the erosion of the natural instinct of an ordinary man for joining the Army with the aim of defending the country.

 

To drive home this point, an eight years analysis of budgetary allocations to the Nigerian Army reveals drastic fall in the ammunition stock pile and man power of the Army. While the recent eye opener was the 3.42 trillion Naira consumed by the Army between 2010 and January 2014; whereas, another #968 billion came from 2014 budget, with a yet-to-be approved $1 billion for the same Army. Upon all these, the Army cannon folders (those thrown into the war fronts to fight) were complaining bitterly that they lack in effective fire power to combat insurgency in the North East.

 

Basically, nothing has been said about this issue.  Houses committees on Defence was quiet. No court martial took place and the Minister for Defence was nowhere to be found. In fact, Gen. Azazi, the late NSA asked the question of financial issue before he died. No single high ranking military officer was called to give an account of how they handled their finance or why they could only boast of a replica of expired explosive that detonated itself at Ikeja cantonment in 2002.

 

Professional mistrust and perception of state perfidy came into being when the military rank and file understood that Boko Haram come almost always to the battle field well prepared, seemed to be informed earlier, more sophisticated and gained vantage position. We didn’t hear anything until certain team of officers in the 7 Division base, Maiduguri were dispatched to face the terrorists that had gotten a first-hand information on the movement of the soldiers. The soldiers ran into an ambush at Chibok and majority of them died. Knowing they were ill-equipped before the failed mission, they requested the attention of General Commanding Officer (GOC) who actually came to the base on the 14th of May, 2014 being the day after their colleagues died shamelessly. The man, Major Gen. Abubakar Muhammed ignored them and zoomed off in his car. This apparently confirmed their suspicion which made the angry soldiers shot his car but he escaped unwounded.

 

The very action of the angry soldiers fits into what they say it is - mutiny. Haven being charged under Sec52(1) of the Armed Forces Act Cap A20 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, we can put it in a lay man language that they (soldiers that shot their GOC's car)  have committed an "offence prejudical to service discipline".

Since the military frowns at such behaviour, it is punishable, and as bloody as civilians that 'we' are also, we repudiate it.

 My argument stems from two angles: One, the decadence of the military institution is stinking and highly condemnable; two, the societal unrest at the moment is in need of the military and we cannot afford to dampen their morale at this critical stage. Looking at the decay in the military hierarchy critically, we should ask (i) what happened to the finance for the soldiers? (ii) who are those leaking information to the terrorists (iii) where did Boko Haram got all those rockets launchers and tanks (iv) why are the Nigerian soldiers not well equipped? (v) what happened to the arsenals in the North, did they sell everything Obasanjo bought with $8 billion in 2003? (vi) why did they replaced the GOC some days later? (vii) why did Brig. Gen. Olukolade denied the mutiny in first place? 

   

The military elites are hiding something from us with the secret and hasty conviction of these soldiers. If not so why didn't the Major Gen. Okonkwo led court martial allowed the boys propagate their case in the light of deprivation and suicide mission they sent them? Why didn't the Army set up court martial for those that embezzled military funds since it is also an offence prejudical to service discipline (ARMY ACT, 2004)

 

The implication of this verdict if carried out will lower the tempo of the spirits of soldiers facing insurgency  in the North. Secondly, the war against terrorism will remain a drain pipe with which our money will be siphoned yearly since the sponsors of Boko Haram are still in secured offices. Thirdly, we should be expecting a bloody coup soon, if not to usurp democratic institution, at least to unseat some old, wicked, pot-bellied high ranking military officers that are feeding on this insurgency; and finally, the military is likely to divide psychologically, because our side seemed to be incapable of winning the war (since the military is trying to cover up internal sabotage).

 

Though, the decision of the court martial is still awaiting the ratification of the Army council headed by the Minister for Defence but we sincerely implore the person of Mr. President, Goodluck Jonathan, to use the fiat of his office to prevail over the wicked Gen. C.C Okonkwo's court martial by employing Section 175 of the 1999 constitution through granting prerogative of mercy to these 12 patriotic soldiers; after all, those that convicted them are the most corrupt elements in the force.

 

Kindly comment "they must not be killed" Write your comment as anonymous if you do not have a google account. Please rebroadcast as we have attached this blog to www.amnesty.org  www.cnn.com www.bbc.com www.aljazera.com www.michaelmoore.com and www.punchng.com in order to make our voice heard. If we speak we can be heard. Thank you.