54 soldiers sentenced to death for Mutiny.

ABUJA—The General Court Martial sitting at the Army
Headquarters Garrison in Abuja yesterday sentenced 54
soldiers to death after finding them guilty of mutiny. 59
soldiers were on trial on a two-count charge of criminal
conspiracy to commit mutiny and mutiny.
Four of them were however acquitted.
While the judgment was going on, stern looking soldiers
posted at the entry gate into the Mogadishu Barracks,
turned back journalists saying they had instructions not to
allow the media into the barracks.
File: Court martial
An officer who was at the Court Martial however confirmed
that 54 of the 59 soldiers were sentenced to death. The 59
soldiers who were serving in the epicentre of the Boko
Haram insurgency in Borno state, allegedly refused lawful
orders by their commander to proceed on a mission to
clear out terrorists and secure a town for subsequent
military deployments.
All the soldiers had pleaded not guilty to the charges
levelled against them at the commencement of the trial last
October. The soldiers are the second batch of Nigerian
soldiers condemned to death by Nigerian Military courts for
mutiny.
The soldiers, attached to the 7 Division, Nigerian Army in
Maiduguri include two Corporals, Cpl, nine Lance
Corporals, LCpl and 49 Private soldiers. According to the
charge against them, they
conspired to commit mutiny against the authorities of the 7
Division on August 4, at the Mulai Primary School camp,
opposite AIT Maiduguri, Borno State.
The prosecutor, Captain J.E. Nwosu, told the military court
that the accused soldiers had on August 4, in Maiduguri,
refused to join the 111 Special Forces Battalion troops,
commanded by Timothy Opurum, a Lieutenant Colonel for
an operation.
Mr. Nwosu said the operation was meant to recapture
Delwa, Bulabulin and Damboa in Borno State from the
Boko Haram terrorists.
According to him, the offence is punishable under Section
52(1) (a) of the Armed Forces Act Cap A20 Laws of the
Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
The prosecution called the commander of the 111 Special
Forces, Lt.-Col. Opurum, as one of the witnesses. The
statement of the commander was admitted by the court
and marked Exhibit P1.
Mr. Opurum, in his testimony in October, said the Special
Forces were tasked with advancing to recapture Delwa to
clear the way for other battalions to pass through to
recapture Babulin and Damboa from the insurgents.
He said he took off for the operation with only four officers
and 29 soldiers as “tasked” after majority of the 174
soldiers in the unit refused to join the operation.
The witness said after he took charge of the Special
Forces, he addressed and assured them that they could
achieve the task given to them.
He, however, said the soldiers were “hesitant to partake in
the operation” in spite of the assurances.
Under cross examination by Femi Falana, who represented
the accused soldiers, Mr. Opurum said 47 of the soldiers
who initially refused, later re-joined the forces for another
operation.
Mr. Opurum said the 47 soldiers joined, after he called for
reinforcement, as they came under attack from terrorists,
who out-numbered them and had superior weapons.

Vanguard.