Buratai: Soldiers Indicted for Mutiny Will Face The Law

Soldiers and officers indicted in the recent mutiny in Borno State are already facing a court martial in accordance with the laws setting up the Nigerian Army, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, has disclosed.

Speaking at an interactive session with editors in Abuja on Thursday, the army chief explained that it was unfortunate that officers could disregard an order to move to a particular place knowing that such action would not be tolerated in a disciplined organisation like the Nigeria army.

He said while it was impossible to rule out sabotage within the army, those found wanting would be dealt with strictly in accordance with the military laws.

“We have been working to ensure that those caught for sabotaging our operations are court martialed and the appropriate actions have been meted on them in line with the rules setting us up.

“We will continue to identify bad eggs and deal with them accordingly. We believe officers should uphold our code of conduct. When anyone is caught sabotaging us, such person will be dealt with in accordance with the military laws,” Buratai said.

On officers who went on the rampage in Borno State over posting, he said: “It is unimaginable that disciplined troop will behave in that way. Those that have been found to be involved have been caught and would be dealt with in accordance with our own laws.

“They were directed to execute a plan, and if for whatever reason, they refused to do that, they would be dealt with. They were not the only ones that were moved. So, why should their own be different? Our welfare programme has always been comprehensive and that is what it is.”

On what the army is doing to ensure peace in the Northeast, Buratai said while relative peace has returned to the region, there exist pockets of attacks by the Boko Haram insurgents especially from neighboring countries.

He said the army has evolved a non-kinetic programme called the ‘Community Resilience or Stabilisation’ whereby key leaders, chiefs and religious heads would be encouraged to change the negative narratives and ideologies of the insurgents with the propagation of the ideologies of communal living, social cohesion and resilience.

On efforts to deactivate mines in the communities to ensure the safety of the displaced persons who are already returning to their various towns and villages, Buratai said a small team of experts from the United Nations is already in the country to assist the country in the de-mining effort.