A general court martial sitting at the headquarters, 82 Division, Enugu, has sentenced Private Adamu Mohammed to death by hanging and another, Private Abubakar Yusuf, to 10 years imprisonment.
Acting Deputy Director, 82 Division Army Public Relations, Lt. Col. Jonah Unuakhalu, disclosed this in a statement in Enugu on Tuesday.
Lt. Col. Unuakhalu said that the sentences were handed down after due consideration for the offences of murder and robbery for which the soldiers stood trial.
It would be recalled that the general court martial, composed of 11 members, was inaugurated by the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 82 Division, Maj. Gen. Oluyemi Olatoye, on February 18, 2025.
The general court martial was set up to try erring personnel within the division for various offences, which could not be disposed of summarily.
President of the general court martial, Brig. Gen. Sadisu Buhari, while delivering the judgment on the first accused, Private Mohammed, found him guilty of murdering his girlfriend, Miss Hauwa Ali.
Brig. Gen. Buhari said that it is an offence punishable under Section 106 (a) of the Armed Forces Act, 2004.
The unanimous judgement, he explained, was arrived at after careful review of the facts, career, and service records of the soldier, and the compassionate plea for mitigation presented by the accused and his counsel.
However, Brig. Gen. Buhari noted that in the interest of societal decorum and justice for the deceased, the law had to be applied to its fullest.
“Given this, the general court martial has determined that the accused soldier, 21NA/80/6365 Private Adamu Mohammed, is hereby sentenced to death by hanging for the charge of murder,” Brig. Gen. Buhari said.
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Equally, the general court martial sentenced another soldier, Private Abubakar Yusuf, to 10 years imprisonment for robbery at a mall in Enugu.
The president of the general court martial stated that Private Yusuf was found guilty of robbery, punishable under Section 107(1)(b) of the Armed Forces Act, 2004.
“Although the court attentively considered the plea in mitigation presented by the accused and his counsel for leniency, the law was applied to uphold societal decorum and protect the reputation of the army.
“However, due to the inability of the general court martial to reach a unanimous decision required to impose the maximum mandatory punishment prescribed under Section 107(2) of the Armed Forces Act, 2004, the general court martial, relying on provisions of Section 140 (3) of the Armed Forces Act, hereby, sentences the accused soldier, 23NA/85/12116 Private Abubakar Yusuf, to 10 years imprisonment,” Brig. Gen. Buhari said.
He emphasised that the findings and sentences pronounced for both soldiers remain subject to confirmation by the confirming authority, marking the conclusion of their trials.
Meanwhile, the army spokesman said that the “Nigerian Army reassures the general public of its unwavering commitment to upholding the highest standards of ethics and professional conduct in the discharge of its duties.”
According to him, the wrong actions of a few do not reflect the values of the institution, as swift and decisive measures are always taken to ensure accountability and justice.
“The Army remains dedicated to maintaining discipline within its ranks, protecting the integrity of its operations as well as fostering trust and confidence among the people it serves,” he added.
