13 soldiers to face trial for cowardice

There were indications in Abuja on Thursday that the authorities of the Nigerian Army might soon arraign 13 soldiers for cowardice and failure to obey orders from their superiors to advance at the (war) front.

Investigations revealed that the soldiers directed to join their counterparts at the 7 Division, entrusted with the responsibility of coordinating the on going counter-terrorism operation in the North-East early in the year.

According to reports from Punch, the General Court Martial ( GCM ) set up to handle the cases emanating from the on-going operation  led by Brig. Gen. CC Okonkwo will hear the  cases against the soldiers .

A military source, who made this known in Abuja, did not give the exact date for the hearing of the cases.

He said that the soldiers ‘’failed to advance when an order was given to them to do so.” Their action, according to him, was against military laws.

It was learnt that some military personnel in detention were waiting to face the court martial for misdemeanours.

The misdemeanours include negligence of duty, cowardice, failure to perform military duty, failure to advance with orders, leakage of information to the enemy and others.

The military authorities had cleared the detention facility at the Mogadishu Cantonment Abuja where 12 who were sentenced to death on September 16, 2014, were kept to create room for the 13 soldiers from the 7 Division.