By Adasaji Ovie
Famous Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to consider pardoning convicted Nigerian soldiers in the same light the government pardoned repentant terrorist
70 Nigerian soldiers were convicted for demanding arms to fight insurgency.
In a written message to President Muhammadu Buhari, Falana, in putting up defense for 58 of the 70 soldiers, said their dismissal from the army was ill-advised by the military authorities.
The dismissed military personnel were tried by General Courts Martial and convicted of mutiny between 2013 and 2014.
“In prosecuting the war on terror, the Federal Government deployed thousands of ill-equipped and ill-motivated members of the armed forces to the North-east region to fight the well armed insurgents from 2013-2014,” Mr Falana said.
He noted that a large number of soldiers who survived the insurgents’ onslaught deserted the military.
Mr Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), explained in his letter dated August 25 to Mr Buhari that the convicted “troops demanded arms and armament from the military authorities.
He added that instead of attending to such legitimate demand, the military authorities accused scores of the soldiers of sabotaging the counter insurgency operations of the Federal Government and proceeded to set up courts-martial to try them for mutiny.
Mr Falana further faulted the courts martial for refusing to appreciate that the demand for weapons by the soldiers was justified under section 179 of the Armed Forces Act, (Cap A20) Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
According to him, the law permits a soldier, rating or aircraftman, to make a complaint to his commanding officer, and that he shall not be penalised for having made a complaint so far as the complaint does not contravene any provisions of the Act.
