Group Condemns Death Penalty On Soldiers For Mutiny

A group in Bayelsa Sate, Civil Liberties
Organisation (CLO), has described as “double
standard” and “a national disservice,” the
death sentence passed on 12 soldiers of the 7th
Division of the Nigerian Army in Maiduguri,
Borno State, who were found guilty of mutiny
. The group therefore called on the military
authority to review the sentence or face a
coordinated protest from civil society groups and
the entire people of the six geo-political zones of
the country.
In a statement by its Chairman, Chief Nengi
James, the CLO said “though the Nigerian Army
has once again shown its posture and
intolerance for acts of indiscipline by its officers
and men, the death sentence pronounced
against the 12 soldiers over alleged mutiny and
insubordination was a disservice to the nation
at this time of security challenges.”
It noted that the controversy trailing the
retirement of the former General Officer
Commanding, GOC, Major General Abubakar
Mohammed was a further provocation to the
troops and the purportedly convicted soldiers.
“The action of the military authority lacks better
judgment and a poor signal to the remaining
troops at the war front against the Boko Haram
insurgents.”