Some soldiers have berated the Nigerian Army spokesperson, Major General Onyema Nwachukwu for defending the ‘biased’ release of a soldier of Northern extraction facing murder charges before a Court Martial in 82 Division, Enugu.
SaharaReporters had exclusively reported that multiple military sources confirmed that two soldiers who were being court-martialled in the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army for murder were freed and re-absorbed into service.
The two soldiers said to be of Northern extraction were identified as Pte Usman Shonva and one Audu.
While Shonva allegedly shot and killed one of his coursemates in Ohoafia, Abia State, Audu was accused of killing a Togolese national and one other person in Anambra State.
In October 2023, the army authorities had said 25 soldiers and an officer were being court-martialled in the 82 Division for various offences.
However, in a statement issued on Saturday by Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, the army said that the decision of the Court Martial was collective and based on evidence presented during the trial.
The Army spokesperson added that Shonva was released because he wasn’t the only soldier at the scene of the incident where his colleague was killed as other soldiers also fired their weapons.
He said, “In espousing the position of the NA in the cases mentioned in the report, taking that of Pte Usman Shonva for instance, wherein evidence revealed that there were other soldiers at the scene of the incident, who also fired their weapons, hence, the court, based on this finding among others, reached the conclusion that the shot that killed the dead soldier could have been fired by any of the soldiers at the scene, thus, leading to his discharge and acquittal.
“It must be emphasised that the NA does not task its personnel (including for court martial membership) on a regional basis in order to achieve ‘national spread.’”
However multiple sources familiar with the incident claimed Shonva was the only soldier with the late colleague.
They said the comment of the Nwachukwu showed the Nigerian Army is biased.
One of the sources said, “We saw the response from the Army spokesman, but it is very bad that they are trying to cover up what they did.
“The incident happened on Monday during the IPOB sit-at-home in 2022. Shonva took over sentry post from his course mate whom he killed. Before he took over, he was briefed that his late coursemate and a few men in the same location wanted to move forward and observe what was happening and warned him never to shoot unless he was asked to.
“And note he was the only person on duty after taking over duty from his late course mate who had joined their platoon commander to move ahead of the location.
“After moving ahead of the location, Shonva heard the sound of a motorcycle moving towards his axis, and at the same time, a senior officer who went ahead shouted back at him ‘Pte Shonva Usman, don’t fire, na we de come’.
“They shouted multiple times and he was the only person manning the sentry post which was a one-man guard by day. He ignored the order and went ahead to shoot his coursemate in the forehead.
“A test was conducted to confirm the actual weapon that fired and behold his weapon was hot and the 60 rounds of Ak-47 ammunition which he signed before coming to that location was no longer complete and his weapon barrel was very hot. Also, an empty case of Ak-47 ammunition was right at his foot which is another evidence that he shot and killed his mate without remorse.
“Immediately he was sent back to the barracks at Ohafia and handed over to the military police who carried out an investigation and he was tried summarily and referred to court-martial. From May 2022, he was in a guardroom at Ohafia till October 2023 when he was brought to Enugu for court-martial and released. Sadly, he is now back in the army.”
Another source said, “On arrival on the day of the inauguration, the 82 Div DDLS in the person of Major HY Shehu shouted and was blaming him for joining the army. I was there. Don’t forget that this Pte Shonva Usman is the son of late Lieutenant Colonel Shonva who was the commanding officer of 195Bn in Damboa Borno state before his death. So his father was once a commander to Major Shehu.
“I was there on that day and witnessed everything. Before you know it, his trial commenced and was rapid with no delay. To everyone’s surprise, he was discharged and acquitted despite all the evidence presented against him.
“Witnesses came before the court and told the court all that happened and how he was warned uncountable times not to shoot and he flaunted the orders and shot his course-mate. Almost seven witnesses testified against him and said that he was fond of disobeying orders because of his dad’s connection with the Army.
“They claimed each time any disciplinary action was to be taken against him, he always said ‘Do you know who I am? I am the son of Lieutenant Colonel Shonva and nothing will happen.’ Truly nothing happened after he killed his course-mate and he is now back in the same army.
“Numerous testimonies came up against him even at that the DDLS Major HY Shehu, and Capt SA Sadiq ruled in his favour and discharged and acquitted him. Because of that, they couldn’t send him back to his unit to avoid criticism from people in Ohafia. As I’m talking to you, he is permanently deployed to mammy gate duty in this division living freely.
“The second Northerner, MWO Audu Peni flogged and killed a Togolese national while on duty in Anambra state. He is serving personnel currently at 302 Artillery Gs Onitsha. He is a senior driver. He was the location guard commander during the incident. A case was reported to him and instead of him to hand over to the police authorities for investigation and disciplinary action, he chose to beat the person who later died.
“He was arrested and was released. Currently, he is only performing his duties in the barracks just for the family of the deceased not to see him.
“All efforts to manoeuvre his case initially failed as a result of pressure from the deceased family and an alleged letter from the Togolese embassy. He was brought to court on inauguration day and that was why his name was never on the list I sent to you. They never wanted to expose his case, that’s why he was never on the list but had no choice when the family of the deceased started asking for justice.
“He was charged with murder the same way Shonva was charged and his case was rushed within one to two weeks and released from detention even before verdict. A retired Army General who happens to be his relative came all the way from Abuja and stood for him and he was released. The army spokesman will not say anything outside what he was asked to say, so Nigerians should ignore all he said and help ask for justice and equity in the Army.”
One of the sources said, “We don’t have issues with the spokesperson, he is only following orders so he can come and defend anything as long as it doesn’t affect his military career. He failed to talk about Pte Abbas, another Northerner and how his case was tried, that’s if at all he attended the inauguration or was ever arraigned before the court. PTE Abbas was deployed to Maiduguri; he was the same soldier who opened fire on troops along the road while they were going to Maiduguri same 2023.
“Another Northerner, Lieutenant S Ayuba, an officer who was involved in illegal oil bunkering at Owerri, his account was used in receiving funds after sales of crude and locally refined oil, he was not detained rather he did come from town to attend the court when he felt like. The court later said he was not guilty and that the standing order he was charged with was only for soldiers and not for officers, meaning he as an officer had the right to do illegal oil bunkering while soldiers under him didn’t have the right.
“It’s funny, so the court was very fair enough and had to discharge and acquit him of all the charges levelled against him and posted him out of Imo state to a different state in other to avoid criticism from people who know the gravity of his offence.
“Another Northerner on this list, Pte Ali who is a terror, who snatches people’s phones in Enugu, steals car batteries, snatches tricycles was arraigned and never appeared before the court. As I am talking to you, he is working in his unit 82MIB, you can confirm from soldiers, let it not look as if I’m biased or lying.
“Another soldier, a Northerner from Yobe state, Lance Corporal Ibrahim serving in 302art GS Onitsha was on duty with a Staff Sergeant at Ottolo Nnewi. Lance Corporal Ibrahim was supposed to give the Staff Sergeant covering fire during a stop-and-search operation but ran away and the Staff Sergeant was killed. He is now a free man as well.
“However, in all these, none of the soldiers from the Southern part was released, even with minor offences and they claimed not to be biased. The irregularities are too much. The Army spokesman telling you that the composition of the court consists of officers mainly from the Southeast might be true but what appointment do they hold in the court where the DDLS Major HY Shehu and Captain S.A Sadiq decided on the judgement to be given?
“The 10 members excluding the President have no say in the judgement process and can’t vote against their senior or can’t go against the legal service DDLS who gives the Judge Advocate, Captain Sadiq whom the Army spokesman in his statement attacking SaharaReporters said is from South East. I don’t know any part of South East or South South where residents bear the name Sadiq. With this alone, you can clearly distinguish the truth from lies.”
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