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Convicted Soldiers Cry Out To Buhari For Forgiveness
Soldiers serving jail terms at the Kirikiri Medium and Maximum Security Prisons have cried out to President Muhammadu Buhari to forgive them whatever wrongdoing they had committed and grant them pardon for the sake of their families.
The soldiers are those sentenced to death by a military court martial in 2014 for demanding weapons before going to confront Boko Haram terrorists, but whose cases were later reviewed and commuted to 10 years imprisonment by the Chief of Army Staff..
They include the 12 soldiers convicted in September 2014 and sentenced to death by a court martial for demanding for weapons when the General Officer Commanding the 7th Division of the Nigerian Army visited a military camp in Maiduguri, and the 58 others sentenced to death in December by another court martial for similar offence.
ICIR met the soldiers during an undercover visit to the prisons last week and interviewed them on how they’re faring and the conditions in the prisons.
The soldiers revealed that some Boko Haram suspects brought into the prisons had all regained freedom while they have continued languishing in jail.
A corporal, who acted as their spokesman, said: “The people we risked our lives fighting in Sambisa Forest who were brought here are being released one by one while we remain in jail. This is traumatic for all of us and we are begging our commander-in-chief to grant us pardon for the sake of God and our families.”
The soldiers also disclosed that the military authorities had stopped their salaries and their families had become impoverished.
“Most of us are the breadwinners of our families but we are in jail and our families have no one to take care of them. Our children have dropped out of school and we can’t help them,” said another soldier, as the others all nodded their heads in agreement.
They pointed at a soldier whose daughter was to write WAEC this year but had to drop out of school for lack of money.
But even life in the prison has been hectic and traumatic. The soldiers all complained about the exploitation by prison officials from the security men to the top.
They alleged that food ration in the prison was pathetic and that any prisoner who wanted to eat decent food had to prepare his own food or request his family to bring food to the prison.
“Prison officials request money from people who bring us food right from the gate to inside the prison. Sometimes a visitor who brings food pays as much as N3,000 each time they bring food into the prison otherwise they would not be allowed in. For God’s sake, how can we cope with this?” a soldier asked with anger on his face.
But corruption in the prison does not end there. According to the soldiers, prison officials sell food stuffs and soup ingredients provided by government and NGOs to prisoners. The soldiers pointed at a store behind the prison entrance gate where the reporter saw onions, salt, yams and other food items being packaged.
“They will parcel the food stuffs from the store and give to the prison traders who help them sell to us,” the soldiers alleged.
When the ICIR confronted the prison officials with these allegations, they denied all. Abdulrasheed Ogundare, the prison Welfare Officer who thought he was speaking to a human rights lawyer, denied all the allegations.
On the release of Boko Haram suspects from the prison, he said there was nothing like that. “Those that were released were suspects raided from Lagos and brought to the prison, not the Boko Haram from Sambisa. Those ones are still in our custody. We don’t even allow them go out like the other prisoners.”
He called a prisoner to confirm whether Boko Haram suspects in the prison were being released, but the prisoner neither confirmed nor denied. “I don’t know; I’m not sure,” he responded, squeezing his face and walking away.
“Don’t mind the soldiers, we didn’t release any Boko Haram,” the Welfare Officer repeated to the reporter.
On prisoners’ feeding he said they were well-fed and that the caterers were graduates of catering. “If you’re in prison you cannot expect to feed as if you’re at home,” he said in response to allegation of poor meals. He however said most of the prisoners were “self-feeders”, meaning they arranged their own feeding.
He also denied that prison officials were exploit the prisoners, saying such allegations had not been brought to the notice of prison officials. “We are doing our best to take care of the prisoners and if you look at them very well you will see that they are feeding very well.”
Sani Usman, a Brigadier General and Director of Army Public Relations, refused to be drawn into any discussion on the issue, saying the case was of the soldiers was still in court.
“You’re aware that Femi Falana is in court over the case of the soldiers, so why do you want me to comment on a case that is in court?” he asked.
Femi Falana, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), appealed the jail terms given to the soldiers by the Chief of Army Staff.
He said although the soldiers were charged with mutiny, “the only allegation proven against them at the courts-martial was that they protested the refusal of the military authorities to provide weapons to fight insurgency”.
Falana, as well as many other Nigerians, called on President Muhammadu Buhari to grant pardon to soldiers in view of the circumstances under which they committed the alleged infractions.
They also argued that unlike many soldiers who deserted the army, the convicts were ready to defend the territorial integrity of the country, but had only made a legitimate demand for equipment to fight the insurgents who were better equipped and motivated.
Source: ICIR
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Opposition leaders in Nigeria have issued a communique vowing to resist any attempts by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to make President Bola Tinubu the sole candidate for the 2027 general elections.
This statement followed a National Summit of opposition parties held in Ibadan, Oyo State, where several key political figures including Atiku Abubakar (PDP), Peter Obi (LP), and Rabiu Kwankwaso (NNPP) gathered to discuss a united front.
The opposition political figures made this declaration via a communique issued at the end of a meeting christened “National Summit of Opposition Political Party Leaders”.
The meeting was hosted by governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State in Ibadan on Saturday.
It was attended by former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, former Senate President, David Mark, former Minister of Information, Professor Jerry Gana, Aisha Yesufu, Professor Pat Utomi and a former Minister of Sports, Solomon Dalung.
Others are former governor of Osun State, Rauf Aregbesola, former governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, former governor of Kano, Rabiu Kwankwanso, former governor of Kwara State, Abdulfatai Ahmed, former governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amechi, former governor of Niger State, Babangida Aliyu among others.
The leaders of the opposition political parties in the communique vowed to resist all machinations by the ruling All Progressives Congress to foist a one-party State on Nigeria.
They vowed to resist all attempts to make Tinubu the sole presidential candidate in the 2027 general elections.
The opposition political figures also disclosed that the Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission INEC, Professor Joash Amupitan should not be allowed to conduct the forthcoming general elections in 2027.
The communique partly read, “That we shall resist all machinations by the APC to foist a one-party State on Nigeria and fight for the survival of multi-party democracy in our country.
“That despite the onslaughts and maneuverings of the ruling party, the APC to impose President Bola Tinubu as the sole Presidential candidate in 2027; we shall field candidates and contest the 2027 Presidential and other elections.
“That we shall work towards fielding one Presidential Candidate for the 2027 elections, which shall be agreed and supported by all participating opposition parties to rescue our nation and her long suffering masses”.
The Nigerian Army said troops from the 82 Division has recovered the suspected remains of a soldier couple, Master Warrant Officer Linus Musa Audu and Private Gloria Mathew, who were murdered in May 2022.
In a statement shared on its official X handle, the Army said the troops acted on credible intelligence to carry out the operations on 24 April 2026 along the Ubaha Orsu axis of Orsu Local Government Area.
The operation was part of a strategic clearance and search mission aimed at dismantling the IPOB/ESN hideout in the region and locating the remains of two Nigerian Army personnel, Master Warrant Officer Linus Musa Audu and Private Gloria Mathew, who were brutally abducted and murdered by terrorists in May 2022 while on their way to their traditional wedding.
Upon receiving credible intelligence, the army reported that its troops advanced towards a suspected IPOB/ESN hideout, where they encountered heavy fire from armed criminals.
The statement said the troops engaged the terrorists decisively, successfully repelling multiple ambushes and forcing the criminals to retreat in chaos.
“The encounter further revealed the desperation and criminal nature of the group, which continues to target innocent citizens and security personnel alike,” the statement said.
After successfully clearing the camp, the Nigerian Army said the troops conducted a comprehensive search of the area, leading to the discovery of shallow graves believed to contain the remains of the slain personnel.
“The graves were carefully excavated, and the suspected remains were recovered,” the statement said.
The Nigerian Army confirmed that the recovered remains have been secured for detailed forensic analysis, including DNA testing, to definitively establish their identities.
“Efforts are also ongoing to liaise with the families of the fallen personnel to ensure proper identification and facilitate befitting burial arrangements in honour of their sacrifice.
“This operation not only underscores the Nigerian Army’s unwavering commitment to ensuring justice for fallen heroes but also highlights the continued degradation of IPOB/ESN criminal networks and infrastructure across the South East.
“The discovery of shallow graves within their camp further exposes the group’s heinous atrocities and disregard for human life.”
The Nigerian Army reassured the general public that ongoing operations will continue until all criminal elements are neutralised and lasting peace is restored across the region.
“We appreciate the law-abiding citizens for the information and urge you remain vigilant and continue to support security agencies with timely and credible information,” it added.
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