Governor Oshiomhole begs for convicted soldiers By Isaac Eranga - President of Pan-African Online Journalists Association.
Governor Adams Oshomhole of Edo State has appealed to the President of
the Federal Republic of Nigeria - Muhammadu Buhari to grant
Presidential pardon to 66 soldiers who were convicted and sentenced to
dealth but were recently commuted to 10 years imprisonment by Nigeria
Army Authorities for offences ranging from insurbodinate behaviour to
mutiny, among others.
The governor said based on the strength of the recent revelations on
the $2.1 billion fund for arms purchase which was mismanaged by the
last aministration, the President should in the spirit of theArmed
Forces Remembrance Day, spare them the jail term but
could dismiss them from the Army for their acts of indiscipline.
The governor made this appeal while delivering his speech at the grand
finale of the 2016 Armed Forces Remembrance Day in Benin City on
Friday.
The governor said it would be injustice if the military personnel who
were sent to the war front without arms were made to wallow in prison
while those who diverted the funds meant for arms purchases are being
granted bail by the law courts.
"The revelation about diversion of funds meant to equip the Armed
Forces is not funny and therefore we must all give the president the
support he needs to bring to justice those who diverted money meant to
secure all of us and convert them to political funds.
"Those same people sat in the comfort of their office, while looking
at their loot and they had the guts to put on trial soldiers who were
ill- equipped and were asked to go and commit suicide in the face of
Boko Haram.
"At best, those soldiers can be dismissed from the Armed Forces but
they should not be allowed to wallow in prison. The point has been
made that the money meant for them was shared. If those who shared it
are unlikely to face death sentence, the nothing justifies harsh
treatment to the victims of their own executive rascality", the Edo
governor said.
the Federal Republic of Nigeria - Muhammadu Buhari to grant
Presidential pardon to 66 soldiers who were convicted and sentenced to
dealth but were recently commuted to 10 years imprisonment by Nigeria
Army Authorities for offences ranging from insurbodinate behaviour to
mutiny, among others.
The governor said based on the strength of the recent revelations on
the $2.1 billion fund for arms purchase which was mismanaged by the
last aministration, the President should in the spirit of theArmed
Forces Remembrance Day, spare them the jail term but
could dismiss them from the Army for their acts of indiscipline.
The governor made this appeal while delivering his speech at the grand
finale of the 2016 Armed Forces Remembrance Day in Benin City on
Friday.
The governor said it would be injustice if the military personnel who
were sent to the war front without arms were made to wallow in prison
while those who diverted the funds meant for arms purchases are being
granted bail by the law courts.
"The revelation about diversion of funds meant to equip the Armed
Forces is not funny and therefore we must all give the president the
support he needs to bring to justice those who diverted money meant to
secure all of us and convert them to political funds.
"Those same people sat in the comfort of their office, while looking
at their loot and they had the guts to put on trial soldiers who were
ill- equipped and were asked to go and commit suicide in the face of
Boko Haram.
"At best, those soldiers can be dismissed from the Armed Forces but
they should not be allowed to wallow in prison. The point has been
made that the money meant for them was shared. If those who shared it
are unlikely to face death sentence, the nothing justifies harsh
treatment to the victims of their own executive rascality", the Edo
governor said.
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