Top army officers and soldiers are set to face prosecution for negligence of duty and acts of cowardice while on the line of duty in the insurgency-ravaged Borno State and the North East zone.

The Nigerian Army yesterday in Maiduguri inaugurated two separate court-martials for their trial. They comprise six officers and 14 soldiers.

While inaugurating the Operation Lafiya Dole special court-martial in Maiduguri, the Theatre Commander, Maj-Gen. Olusegun Adeniyi, said that the offences of the officers and soldiers ranged from negligence of duty, cowardice in the face of the enemy to poor command.

Adeniyi said:” Therefore, the conduct of military trials under the armed forces is to allow the military to deal with matters that pertain directly to the discipline, efficiency, and moral of the military.

“The safety and wellbeing of Nigerians depend considerably on the willingness and readiness of a force of men and women to defend against threat to the nation’s security,” he said.

He said that to maintain the armed forces in a state of readiness, the military must be in a position to enforce internal discipline effectively and efficiently.

The Theatre Commander said that “some of the offences related to negligence, some related to cowardice with some relating to poor command. Negligence in the field in the sense that counter-insurgency is not conducted anyhow. The military has its doctrine that guides its operations.

“If you fail to do what you are up to do, you are jeopardising the success of the mission. You are endangering the lives of civilians, women, children, and your colleagues by being negligent and lackadaisica

“The ones relating to cowardice simply means that you did not act up to what is expected of the combatant personnel of the Nigerian Army in the face of the enemy. It is an offence to show cowardly behaviour before the enemy. If you are found culpable, you would be taken forward militarily,” Adeniyi said.

Meanwhile, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai, has launched “Exercise Ayem KPATUMA II” in Benue State to curb the rising cases of kidnapping, armed robbery, cultism, banditry, and other criminal activities.

Represented by the Chief of Army Logistics, Maj-Gen. Joel Unuigbe, at the event held at IBB Square Makurdi, Buratai said that the exercise which commenced on Thursday would rounded off on December 23, 2019.

He said that the exercise would be carried out in conjunction with other security agencies in the state

According to him, code of conduct and rules of engagements have been drawn up, to guide the conduct of troops throughout the duration of the exercise.

The army authorities also began the training exercise in Kogi State and vowed to flush out criminals from their hideouts.

The exercise will be conducted simultaneously in Kogi, Taraba, Nasarawa and Benue States.

Major Nick Ejeh, the intelligence officer, Command Army Records (CARs), at the flag-off ceremony at Irepene Super Military Camp in Adavi local government area, said that the exercise was introduced to fish out criminals.

He said that it would also be used to flush out criminals from their hideouts to ensure the safety of life and property in Kogi and other North Central states

(Leadership)

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