Tuesday, September 23, 2014
The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has asked the Nigerian Army to pardon 12 soldiers sentenced to death by firing squad after they were found guilty of mutiny.
At a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday, the Acting President of the congress, Mr Promise Adewusi, said that such verdict was harsh, insensitive and unacceptable, as there were issues such as “unpaid allowance, poor kitting and equipping of troops leading to low morale, which should have constituted a justifying circumstance in favour of the convicted”. He stressed that true justice should go beyond legalism to addressing the fundamental issues in any given situation.
Mr Adewusi further urged the Nigerian military authorities to commute the judgment on the 12 soldiers to a lighter sentence as doing otherwise would not restore discipline but rather sow seeds of insecurity and disloyalty amongst the soldiers.
A court martial of the Nigerian Army sentenced the 12 soldiers to death by firing squad for attempted to murder a Major General, Ahmed Audu, the former General Commanding Officer of the Seven Division in Borno State.
Eighteen soldiers soldiers were on September 16 arraigned before the court martial in two batches of 11 and seven with charges ranging from mutiny, attempted murder, insubordination, false accusation, absent without leave and conduct to the prejudice of service discipline.
However, five of the soldiers were acquitted and discharged while a soldier was convicted and sentenced to 28 days imprisonment with hard labour
The 18 soldiers were arraigned on six count charges bothering on mutiny on May 14.
