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Convicted Soldiers Cry Out To Buhari For Forgiveness

Published

6 years ago

March 1, 2020

Editor

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

News

JUST IN: President Tinubu Swears In Olatunji Disu As 23rd IGP

Published

2 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Editor

President Bola Tinubu has officially sworn in Olatunji Rilwan Disu as the 23rd substantive Inspector-General of Police (IGP) on Wednesday.

The ceremony took place at the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa in Abuja, just before the first Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting of 2026.

The Disu took the oath of office shortly before the commencement of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting.

The President also administered the oath of office to six commissioners of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) and two from the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC).

The ceremonies were witnessed by ministers, senior government officials, and family members of the appointees.

The council meeting began shortly after the swearing-in ceremonies.

In attendance were Vice President Kashim Shettima; the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume; the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila; the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu; and the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Esther Walson-Jack.

Disu was appointed as the acting IGP on February 25, 2026, by Tinubu, following the resignation of former IGP Kayode Egbetokun.

Disu was decorated as acting IGP by President Bola Tinubu in February, 2026.
His appointment was endorsed by the Nigeria Police Council (NPC).

The former Assistant Inspector-General assumed office last Wednesday.

He had previously served as AIG in charge of the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) Annex, Alagbon, Lagos, after his promotion to the rank last year.

Disu, a former head of the Lagos Rapid Response Squad (RRS), has promised to provide an accountable, modern, and professional policing.

News

AGF Fagbemi Assumes Prosecution Of Malami In Terrorism Trial

Published

4 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Editor

The Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), has formally taken over the prosecution of his predecessor, Abubakar Malami (SAN), and his son, Abdulaziz, from the Department of State Services (DSS).

Malami faces terrorism and illegal firearms possession charges brought against him by the Department of the State Service (DSS).

Fagbemi, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) took over the trial from the DSS on Wednesday at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

The Director of the Public Prosecution of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo, announced the attorney general’s appearance in the matter.

Oyedepo told Justice Joyce Abdulmalik that the trial cannot proceed because Fagbemi has just taken over the prosecution.

He informed the court that the prosecution needed more time to familiarise itself with the facts of the case.

Counsel to the defendants, Adedayo Adedeji, who did not oppose the application, however urged the court to strike out the matter if the prosecution fails to open its case at the next adjourned date, citing lack of diligent prosecution.

Justice Abdulmalik subsequently adjourned the matter to March 10 for trial and for the prosecution to formally open its case.

The Court had on February 27 admitted Malami and his son, Abdulaziz to ₦200m bail, with two sureties, each one of whom must own landed property either in Maitama or Asokoro.

Justice Abdulmalik had said that the title of the property must be deposited with the Deputy Chief Registrar of the Court along with valid international passports.

The sureties were also ordered to depose to affidavit of means and submit their two recent passport photographs with the court.

Malami and his son were also ordered to submit their international passports and recent passport photographs to the court.

The DSS had arraigned Malami and his son, Abdulaziz on a five-count charge bordering on terrorism and illegal firearms possession.

In the charge, marked, FHC/ABJ/CR/63/2026, filed before the Federal High Court in Abuja, Malami is also accused of refusing to prosecute suspected terrorism financiers, whose case files were handed to him while he served as the AGF and Minister of Justice.

Malami and Abdulaziz are equally accused of warehousing firearms in their residence at Gesse Phase II Area, Birain Kebbi LGA, Kebbi State without lawful authority.

The DSS accused Malami in count one of the charge, with knowingly abetting terrorism financing, while the ex-AGF and his son are charged in counts two to five, with unlawful, possession of a Sturm Magnum 17-0101 firearm, 16 Redstar AAA 5720 live rounds of cartridges and 27 expended Redstar AAA 5’20 cartridges, contrary to and punishable under relevant Sections of Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and Firearms Act, 2004.

“That you, Abubakar Malami of Gesse Phase II Area, Birnin Kebbi LGA, Kebbi State, Adult, male, sometime in November, 2022 at Federal Ministry of Justice, Maitama, Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did knowingly abet terrorism financing by refusing to prosecute terrorism financiers whose casefiles were brought to your office as the Attorney-General of the Federation, for prosecution, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 26 (2) of Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022,” the charge sheet read.

“Abubakar Malami and Abdulaziz Abubakar Malami of Gesse Phase II, Area, Birnin Kebbi LGA, Kebbi State, adults, males, sometime in December, 2025, in your res:dence at Gesse Phase II Area, Birnin Kebbi LGA, Kebbi State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did engage in a conduct in preparation to commit act of terrorism by having in your possession and without licence, a Sturm Magnum 17-0101 firearm, Sixteen (16) Redstar AAA 5°20 live rounds of Cartridges and Twenty-Seven (27) expended Redstar AAA 5’20 Cartridges, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 29 of Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 .

“That you, Abubakar Malami and Abdulaziz Abubakar Malami, of Gesse Phase II Area, Birnin Kebbi LGA, Kebbi State, adults, males, sometime in December, 2025, in your residence at Gesse Phase II Area, Birnin Kebbi LGA, Kebbi State, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, without licence, did have in your possession a Sturm Magnum 17-0101 firearm, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 3 of Firearms Act 2004 and punishable under Section 27 (1) of the same Act.

“That you, Abubakar Malami and Abdulaziz Abubakar Malami, of Gesse Phase II Area, Birnin Kebbi LGA, Kebbi State, adults, males, sometime in December, 2025, in your residence at Gesse Phase II Area, Birnin Kebbi LGA, Kebbi State, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, without licence, did have in your possession sixteen (16) Redstar AAA 5’20 live rounds of cartridges, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 8(1) of Firearms Act 2004 and punishable under Section 27 (1) of the same Act.

“That you, Abubakar Malami and Abdulaziz Abubakar Malami, of Gesse Phase II Area, Birnin Kebbi LGA, Kebbi State, adults, males, sometime in December, 2025, in your residence at Gesse Phase II Area, Birnin Kebbi LGA, Kebbi State, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, without licence, did have in your possession twenty-seven (27) expended Redstar AAA 5’20 cartridges, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 8(1) of Firearms Act 2004 and punishable under Section 27 (1) of the same Act.”

News

Tunji Disu Constitutes Panel To Drive State Police Implementation

Published

5 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Editor

The newly confirmed Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Tunji Disu, has inaugurated an eight-member committee to spearhead the implementation of state police in Nigeria.

This move follows the recent ratification of Disu’s appointment by the Nigeria Police Council and aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s directive to decentralise the nation’s security architecture.

The committee, which will be led by Olu Ogunsakin, a professor of police studies, was inaugurated on Wednesday.

Speaking during the inauguration, Disu, who was recently appointed as IGP, asked the committee to propose an operational framework for the establishment and coordination of state police structures.

The IGP asked the committee to review issues pertaining to training, recruitment, resource allocation, and oversight mechanisms necessary for the state police structures.

Disu said the decentralisation of the police will enable state government and local authorities to respond to specific security challenges within their jurisdictions.

“It is my greatest privilege to formally inaugurate this committee on state policing. The task before this committee is both significant and timely as it speaks to our reflective demand to strengthen Nigeria’s security,” he said

“The committee we are inaugurating today has a critical responsibility. Your work will help shape the framework through which state policing may operate in Nigeria in a manner that strengthens, rather than fragments, our national security system.

“In carrying out this assignment, your deliberations must be guided by professionalism, objectivity, and a clear appreciation of the unique complexities of policing a diverse nation such as ours.

“Among other responsibilities, the Committee is expected to: review existing policing models within and outside Nigeria; assess community security needs and emerging risks across the country; propose an operational framework for the establishment and coordination of State Police structures; address issues relating to recruitment, training, standards, and resource allocation; develop robust accountability and oversight mechanisms to ensure professionalism and public trust.

“If thoughtfully designed and effectively implemented, State Policing holds significant potential benefits for our country.

“By bringing law enforcement closer to communities, state police institutions can deepen local knowledge of security dynamics and enable quicker and more targeted responses to emerging threats.”

Other members of the committee are Bode Ojajuni (secretary), Okebechi Agora, Suleyman Gulma, Ikechukwu Okafor, Tolulope Ipinmisho, and Emmanuel Ojukwu.

On numerous occasions, President Bola Tinubu has promised that his administration will create state police as part of the measures to address the country’s insecurity.

Recently, Tinubu asked both chambers of the national assembly to amend the 1999 constitution to create a legal framework for the establishment of state police.

The national assembly has commenced the process of amending the 1999 constitution to accommodate the establishment of state.