Reps to probe alleged mass resignation of soldiers

The House of Representatives on Tuesday resolved to investigate the alleged mass resignation of soldiers from the Nigerian Army.

At the plenary, the House unanimously adopted a motion titled: “The Need to Investigate the Purported Voluntary Resignation of Over 365 Soldiers from the Nigerian Army,” moved by the Chief Whip, Mohammed Monguno, and co-sponsored by Deputy Whip, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha; Minority Leader, Ndudi Elumelu; and Deputy Minority Leader, Toby Okechukwu.

The lawmakers warned that the development would worsen the security crises across the country.

The House adopted the motion and mandated its Committee on Army to investigate the reasons behind the soldiers’ resignation and report back in one week.

The aggrieved soldiers had in a memo to the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, dated July 3, 2020, with Reference Number NA/COAS/001, declared the intention to quit the force.

Buratai had since approved the voluntary disengagement of the 356 soldiers via a 17-page circular with Reference Number AHQ DOAA/G1/300/92 and signed by Brig-Gen T.E. Gagariga, for the army chief.

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Moving the motion, Monguno noted that the Nigeria Army is the largest component of the Nigerian Armed Forces with a staff strength of about 200,000 soldiers, with the responsibilities of taking charge of land warfare operations as well as protest and defend the territorial integrity of the nation.

He recalled that on June 22 a Lance Corporal in the Nigerian Army, Martin Idakpein, published a video on the internet in which he condemned the lackadaisical attitude of the army chief towards the attacks and killings of civilians and soldiers by criminal elements in the country.

He also lamented the untold hardship soldiers face while conducting combat operations.

He said: “The House is aware that on several occasions Nigerian soldiers have disobeyed orders from superior officers in protest against poor welfare arrangements and alleged embezzlement of allowances due to them by their superiors. There have been cases of mutiny resulting in sporadic shooting and attempt lynching of senior officers.

“Recently, Major General Olusegun Adeniyi, Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Nigeria‘s counter-terrorism headquarters, was removed for complaining about inferior military wares and poor equipment of troops, while briefing the Chief of Army Staff from combat zone after successfully repelling an attack from Boko Haram insurgents.”

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