By Kayode Sanni-Arewa.
The Nigerian Army has sentenced a warrant officer, Danladi Shaggy, to 28 years imprisonment for stealing 3,870 rounds of 7.26 mm rounds of ammunition and an AK-47 rifle.
Five soldiers were dismissed and two otters sanctioned for various offences by a General Court martial, which sat at the 3 Armoured Division, Rukuba, Jos, the Plateau State capital.
Delivering his judgment at the Maxwell Khobe Cantonment Jos, the President of the Court, Brig. Gen. Liafis Bello, said the eight sentenced were either dismissed, demoted, or reprimanded for offences such as theft, selling of arms and ammunition, intimidation, and cheating, among other offences
Liafis, while convicting the warrant officer, said the officer was sentenced for stealing 3,870 rounds of 7.26 mm ammunition and one AK-47 rifle and was therefore sentenced to 363 months imprisonment, which is equivalent to 28 years.
According to him, Shaggy was equally dismissed from service and also demoted from the rank of warrant officer to private, adding that the accused would refund N5,035, 000 being the sum he sold the ammunition.
According to him, the seven others found guilty were Lance Corporal Suleiman Hassan, Private Oluwaseyi Williams, Lance Corporal Abraham Samson, Sergeant Ibrahim Salihu, Sergeant Musa Ibrahim, Sergeant Nicholas Josephat, and Corporal Isa Ibrahim. They were either dismissed, demoted, and reprimanded accordingly.
He pointed out that the Court found the convicted soldiers guilty of the offences, having diligently considered all the allegations brought before it against the accused.
Earlier, the President of the Court Martial, had said the Court was convened under the provisions of the 1999 Constitution as amended, the Armed Forces Act (Rules and Procedures) 1972, and other existing laws.
The Court Martial was convened early this year by the General Officer Commanding the 3rd Armoured Division of the Nigerian Army, Major General Abdulsalam Abubakar, who also doubles as the Commander of the Internal security outfit, Operation Safe Haven.