Army authorities in Abuja have stated that the fate of about 3, 200 soldiers dismissed from service between 2003 and 2015 over their unpatriotic acts during several security campaigns (operations) including fighting militancy in the Niger Delta, Kidnapping in South East and at the heat of the Boko Haram insurgency in the North East, is out of their hands.
A senior army officer while acknowledging that Army headquarters has received several pleas and even some judicial interventions as well as some from NGOs calling for the reabsorption of the dismissed soldiers, disclosed that only the intervention of the ministry of Defence could resolve the matter.
“The truth is that the matter is beyond the Chief of Army Staff. It is the Minister of Defence that is vested with the powers to intervene in that matter because he represents the Commander in Chief. So if President Buhari gives him the go ahead, he will know what to do because their offences were committed against the Nigerian State and the C in C” the senior officer who spoke in confidence said.
It would be recalled that on Friday, representatives of the dismissed 3, 200 soldiers stormed Katsina to plead with kinsmen of President Muhammadu Buhari to plead with army authorities to temper justice with mercy and reinstate them.
Their 7-man delegation who was led by Sergeant Abdullahi Kutama (93NA/37/066) arrived Daura and made their appeal through Alhaji Sani-Uba Daura, the Chairman of Buhari Youth Awareness Forum.
Kutama confessed that most of them dismissed from service during the period committed minor offences noting that the offences ranged from ‘Away without Leave’ (AWOL), disobedience to a particular order, insubordination to two fighting and other related misdemeanor.
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He said they were in Daura to plead with the chairman of the forum to help them take their case to President Muhammadu Buhari.
He explained that they believed the chairman was very close to the president; hence he could intervene on their behalf.
Continuing Sgt Kutama said they were not claiming right, but pleading with the army authority to consider their plight and reinstate them to the service of their father land.
He added that many of them could hardly feed their families, assuring that they would not engage in anything that would jeopardise the nation’s unity.
His words, “we had lodged formal complaint on this matter at the office of the Army
Chief and expected positive response from authorities concerned.
“And if we would not be reinstated, we pray for discharge certificate to enable us to secure jobs elsewhere.”
Responding, Daura expressed concern over the plight of the dismissed soldiers and promised to pass their message to the President when he returns from his medical trip abroad.
He urged them to continue to be law abiding and respect constituted authorities noting “you have no other country, but Nigeria.”
It would be recalled that some of the dismissed soldiers who are hibernating in some uncompleted buildings on Katampe road at Mpape in the FCT, recently embarked on a fearful protest in Maitama when the carried the corpse of one of their dead colleague in an open casket round the street protesting their inability to carry him to Imo state for burial.
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