By: Chioma Madonna Ndukwu
Army Court Sentences 3 Soldiers to Life for Supplying Arms to Terrorists
A Special Court-Martial sitting in Maiduguri, Borno State, has handed life sentences to three Nigerian soldiers after finding them guilty of selling weapons to terrorist groups. A fourth soldier was sentenced to 15 years in prison.
The trial, held at the Theatre Command Headquarters Officers’ Mess, was overseen by Brigadier General Ugochukwu Unachukwu, Acting General Officer Commanding 7 Division and Commander, Sector 1 of Operation Hadin Kai.
Judgment was delivered by Brigadier General Mohammed Abdullahi, President of the Court-Martial.
Those sentenced to life imprisonment are Sergeant Raphael Ameh, Sergeant Ejiga Musa, and Lance Corporal Patrick Ocheje. Corporal Omitoye Rufus was jailed for 15 years.
The soldiers faced charges ranging from theft and unlawful possession of ammunition to aiding the enemy, all under the Armed Forces Act.
According to the court, Sergeant Ameh, who worked as an armourer at the 7 Division Garrison, conspired with a deceased colleague to steal weapons from the armoury.
The stolen arms were allegedly hidden in bags of beans and transported to Enugu and Ebonyi States with the help of police collaborators. Bank records linked Ameh to over 100 questionable transactions between July 2022 and June 2024.
Sergeant Musa, armourer of the 195 Battalion, was found to have worked with Ocheje and police officers to sell rifles and ammunition. He was arrested after receiving over ₦500,000 and attempting to arrange another illegal sale.
Corporal Rufus was convicted of selling 40 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition to a police officer, while Ocheje, deployed to the Molai forward operating base, was found guilty of diverting ammunition during communal clashes and stealing an AK-47 rifle belonging to a colleague.
Brigadier General Abdullahi, in his remarks, condemned the convicted soldiers, describing them as a serious threat to national security. He said their conduct undermined military operations and amounted to aiding the enemy.
“The Nigerian Army will not tolerate acts of betrayal or the diversion of weapons meant for defending the nation. Such actions are unacceptable and will be punished severely,” Abdullahi said.
About The Author
Leave a comment