Culled From Leadership Newspaper
No fewer than 15 senior military officers including 10
generals have been tried before a court-martial and found guilty of giving
information and ammunition to Boko Haram terrorists.
In the recent past, the Army and the Defence headquarters
have raised the alarm that some of their officers and men are leaking official
information to the terrorists and that some of them have been arrested and
arraigned before some court-martials in some army divisions in the north.
Military sources told Leadership that some of them who were
tried at their division levels still have hope until the final review of the
judgement at the headquarters in Abuja.
“There are a lot of arrests that have been made over some
officers who were sabotaging the ongoing counter-insurgency operations. The
suspects include about 10 generals and other ranks, not to talk of soldiers who
have been found culpable of sabotaging our operations. They are facing trial
before court-martials set up by their divisions; some have been found guilty,
and some are still facing trial. Once the court martial rule, the
recommendations are forwarded to the Army Headquarters or Defence Headquarters
as the case may be,” a source disclosed.
Another top security source told our correspondent that four
senior soldiers were found guilty of being disloyal and for working for the
members of the sect.
“Four generals have been court-martialed for divulging
high-class security information to the members of the sect. They were found
guilty of leaking military strategies to the Boko Haram people. This was why
many soldiers have been ambushed and killed by the Boko Haram,” the source
added.
Our source who could not disclose the names of these
generals simply said some senior military officers and soldiers from a
particular section of the country are deeply involved in the treasonable acts.
“They have been found guilty of also collaborating with some
top politicians in the country to make the country ungovernable for selfish
reasons. A lot of re-organisation is going on in the military. Many generals
will go. Some will be court-martialed and some will be forcefully retired,” he
added. “The movement of our troops in the north-east have been leaked to the Boko
Haram by many of our colleagues, but the Defence headquarters has realized that
and is seriously considering redeployment of some senior officers out of the
north-east.”
The army had, on Sept. 19, 2013, said its 3 Division had set
up a general martial court to try erring officers and soldiers.
During a press briefing, the then director, army public
relations, Brigadier General Ibrahim Attahiru, said the new court would instil
discipline and professionalism among its troops based on Army Headquarters’ directives.
The court under general commanding officer Ebiobowei Awala
was inaugurated on April 22 at Rhino Officers Mess, Maxwell Khobe Cantonment,
Jos, and has tried nine soldiers for various offences ranging from murder to
manslaughter.
But it was not clear at the time of fielding this report
whether the generals were court -martialed by the same court.
Although efforts to confirm from the Defence Headquarters’
spokesman, Major General Chris Olukolade, did not yield any result, a top
serving general in the DHQ said a lot of trials were indeed going on: “A lot is
happening. Those suspected are being tried, and this is why it is difficult to
confirm or deny the story. But whenever the final verdicts are taken on these
trials, the press would be briefed by the appropriate officers.”
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