Army dismisses over 200 soldiers for cowardice in the face of Boko Haram attack

OVER 200 soldiers have been dismissed from the Nigerian Army as part of the growing clampdown on indiscipline and cowardice in the armed forces following the recent spate of embarrassing losses in the face of Boko Haram attacks.

 

Within the last two years, the Nigerian army has been badly embarrassed by Boko Haram who launched a fierce campaign in the northeast of the country, seizing as many as 14 local government areas. In many instances, whole battalions abandoned their weapons and equipment and fled across the border for dear life.

 

As a result of these loses, the Nigerian Army has instituted a number of military tribunals and over the last six months, there have been at least two major court-martials in which 66 soldiers have been sentenced to death for mutiny. Yesterday, a general court martial sitting at the Rukuba Barracks in Jos, Plateau State, dismissed about 200 soldiers from service for their failure to capture the Sambisa Forest from Boko Haram.

 

They were dismissed for a variety of offences including laxity and cowardice in the course of duty. One of the affected soldiers, Aguloye Sunday, said they were arraigned on a two-count charge of failure to perform military duty and disobedience to standing orders.

 

He, however, argued that they would seek redress in court as the charges pressed against him and his colleagues were untrue, false and malicious. Denying the claim by the army authorities that the soldiers abandoned their duties and ran away, Mr Sunday explained that sufficient weapons were not provided for them to fight the terrorists.

 

Mr Sunday added: "The bombs given to us were made in 1964 and they were expired, so we could not use them. Each of us was given five bullets, not five rounds to fire and while in the forest, our biggest weapon could only cover a distance of 400 metres but our enemy had anti-aircraft guns that could cover a distance of more than 1,000 metres and other dangerous weapons.

 

However, a Nigerian Army spokesman said the figure being bandied was incorrect and that no dismissals were pre-planned by the military high command. Col S K Usman, the acting director of army public relations, said: “On disciplinary action being taken against some soldiers for cowardice and desertion in the face of enemies, especially as regards the fight against Boko Haram terrorists, most of the stories and figure being peddled are far from accurate.

 

“Disciplinary processes or trials are never done with prior intention to dismiss anyone in the Nigerian Army. The only intention is to dispense justice and even at that, due process is normally followed.”