MAIDUGURI: Nigerian Army slams 3 soldiers with 56-yr sentence over unlawful possession of arms

Three soldiers identified as Troopers Eric Nwokere, Macaulay Fortune, and Corporal Garba Saidu, have been slammed with various jail sentences for unlawful possession of arms.

The soldiers attached to the 7 Division, Nigerian Army component of Operation Lafiya Dole, were Court-Martialed by a General who announced a jail term of 23 years for two of the soldiers, while the third was sentenced to 10 years.

On the judgment, Lt. Colonel Kingsley Samuel, Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, 7 Division, said, “A General Court Marshal sitting in 7 Division Garrison Pompomari, Maiduguri, Borno State, today (yesterday) sentenced two soldiers serving in Operation Lafiya Dole to 23 years jail terms, based on charges that bordered on unlawful possession of fire arms punishable under Section 27 (1) (a & b) (i & ii) of the Firearms Act.

Read also: 10 dead as Nigerian Army frees 10 kidnapped NNPC staff in Borno

“The convicts, Troopers Eric Nwokere and Macaulay Fortune, at the time of the arrest were in possession of five empty AK-47 rifle magazines and 20,136 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition at Jumputu Motor Park, Jimeta, Yola, while boarding a commercial vehicle to an unknown destination.

“Another soldier, Corporal Garba Saidu, was also sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for unlawful possession of ammunition.

“He was arrested and charged for illegal possession of 2,800 rounds of 7.2mm ammunition, discovered hidden in a poultry farm near Tipper Garage in Maiduguri metropolis.

“The farm is said to belong to a serving policeman. He was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment.”

 

RipplesNigeria ….without borders, without fears

Click here to download the Ripples Nigeria App for latest updates

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now