Metro
Five army officers, 20 soldiers face court martial over murder in Enugu
- /home/naijuinz/public_html/wp-content/plugins/mvp-social-buttons/mvp-social-buttons.php on line 27
https://naijablitznews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/army2.jpg&description=Five army officers, 20 soldiers face court martial over murder in Enugu', 'pinterestShare', 'width=750,height=350'); return false;" title="Pin This Post">
- Share
- Tweet /home/naijuinz/public_html/wp-content/plugins/mvp-social-buttons/mvp-social-buttons.php on line 72
https://naijablitznews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/army2.jpg&description=Five army officers, 20 soldiers face court martial over murder in Enugu', 'pinterestShare', 'width=750,height=350'); return false;" title="Pin This Post">
The Nigerian Army has established a General Court Martial (GCM) for the trial of five officers and 20 soldiers for offences ranging from murder, defilement, manslaughter, extortion and assault on civilians in Enugu State.
The personnel to be tried are within the jurisdiction of the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army in Enugu.
While inaugurating the court martial on Tuesday in Enugu, President of the GCM, Brig.-Gen. Buhari Sadisu, said that the court was convened by the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 82 Division, Maj.-Gen. Oluyemi Olatoye.
Sadisu explained that court martial was one of the instruments used in the Armed Forces to maintain discipline.
He said, “In Court Martial, military personnel alleged to have committed offences known to laws applicable to them are tried and if found guilty, punished in accordance to the laws criminalising such offences.
“However, where the prosecution failed to establish the allegations against them, the court will discharge and acquit the accused personnel.
He promised that the court martial would be guided by the principles of natural justice and fair hearing.
“It will also be guided by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) and other extant laws and procedures related to the trial.”
The president said that the Court Martial would be free from any external influence and would afford the accused personnel adequate time and facility to defend themselves.
According to him, the court martial is fully aware of the cardinal principle of our criminal judicial system that an accused person is presumed innocent until the contrary is proven.
“Under our criminal justice system, it is better for 99 guilty persons to be set free than for one innocent person to be convicted.
Sadisu assured them that the Court Martial would strive to do justice in their cases by ensuring that evidence presented before the court were judiciously and fairly evaluated.
“This is to avoid a situation where an innocent person is made to suffer unjustly,” he said.
Some regular court lawyers within Enugu also appeared for some of the accused personnel.
(NAN)
Heavily armed gunmen on Sunday morning reportedly abducted a seminarian of St Joseph Catholic Church and several other persons in Enugu State.
The gunmen were said to have invaded the Catholic church in the Inoyi community, Affa town, Udi Local Government Area of the state, and abducted the seminarian and an undisclosed number of other worshippers.
According to a video circulating online, the attackers stormed the church premises in the early hours of Sunday while residents were attending morning Mass.
A resident, who did not disclose his name in the video, said it was raining as people made their way to the church.
“Those who were on their way to the church saw a crowd running out of the premises. They were told that at least seven armed men had invaded the church and abducted some members, including the seminarian,” he said.
The residents said they pursued the kidnappers but were unable to do much because they were unarmed while the abductors were heavily armed.
He said members of the community were willing and able to protect themselves and enter the surrounding forests to search for the kidnappers.
However, the residents, who were gripped by fear following the incident, questioned how they could carry out such an operation without weapons.
They said even local security operatives in the area were not armed.
The residents called on the state government to intervene and ensure their safety or provide them with the means to defend themselves.
They also lamented that one of the abducted persons was an indigene of the community who had returned home to bury his father.
Efforts to obtain a reaction from officials of the Enugu State Police Command were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.
The spokesperson of the Delta State Police Command, SP Bright Edafe, was left stunned after two suspected drug dealers requested to take a photograph with him shortly after they were arrested and interrogated.
The suspects, identified as Omini Ezeri, 46, and Chinedum Wagbara, 42, were apprehended during a stop-and-search operation while travelling in a Mercedes-Benz ML SUV with registration number AAA 604 JZ along the Agbarho-Warri Road.
A search of the vehicle and its occupants led to the recovery of two Beretta pistols, a substance suspected to be cocaine, and a dagger. The suspects are currently in police custody, while investigations continue.
As part of the investigation, Edafe interrogated the suspects. Shortly after the interview, the duo surprised the police spokesperson by asking to take a photograph with him.
In a follow-up post shared on social media, Edafe said he had never encountered such behaviour before, explaining that the suspects appeared to become excited once they realised he intended to interview them.
He added that despite being arrested with cocaine and two pistols, which they claimed were used for their drug business, they still requested to take a picture with him after the interrogation.
The Catholic Diocese of Otukpo in Benue State has confirmed the safe return of its seminarian, Kelvin Ochai, who was abducted by gunmen at Asa III in Otukpo Local Government Area of the state.
This was disclosed in a statement issued by the Chancellor of the Catholic Diocese, Very Rev. Fr. Joseph Itodo, on Saturday.
Itodo attributed the seminarian’s safe return to divine intervention and the prayers of Christians and well-wishers.
According to the diocese, the seminarian escaped from the custody of his abductors and made his way to Aliade in Gwer East Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue State, where he was reunited with his family unharmed.
“Through the prayers of the people of God, Kelvin escaped from the custody of his abductors on the evening of Friday, 31st July, 2026, and made his way to Aliade, Gwer East LGA of Benue State. He has since been safely reunited with his family and is unharmed,” the statement read in part.
The Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Otukpo, Most Rev. Michael Ekwoyi Apochi, expressed profound gratitude to priests, religious, lay faithful, and people of goodwill for their unwavering support and prayers during the period of the seminarian’s captivity.
BBNaija 11: Ebuka knocks housemates over lack of energy
Ooni welcomes baby girl with Olori Oluwatosin
10th Senate processed over 1,000 bills in three years – Plang
-
News14 hours agoTroops rescue 34 abductees, nab ISWAP informant, recover arms
-
News14 hours agoJoint military task force rescue kidnapped Lt Col, civilian after 10-day search operation
-
Crime18 hours agoHappening now: Bandits storm Kwara community, kill woman, kidnap resident, villagers flee
-
News19 hours agoPhotos: NDLEA nabs notorious drug dealer in Rivers Island, bandits’ supplier in Zamfara
-
Metro2 hours agoGunmen abduct Catholic seminarian, six others in Enugu
-
Opinion16 hours agoWhy continuity in the National Assembly leadership could benefit Nigeria
-
News15 hours agoJUST IN: Fire engulfs Lagos airport’s Terminal 2
-
News2 hours agoState Police: Sharia council warns FG against rushed constitutional amendment
Warning: Undefined variable $user_ID in /home/naijuinz/public_html/wp-content/themes/zox-news/comments.php on line 49
You must be logged in to post a comment Login