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Army arrests soldiers for brutalising crippled man in Onitsha

By Uzoma Nzeagwu, Awka
10 February 2017   |   3:30 am
Authorities of the Nigerian Army have identified and arrested two soldiers who allegedly brutalised a crippled man on new market road, Onitsha, Anambra State.

Authorities of the Nigerian Army have identified and arrested two soldiers who allegedly brutalised a crippled man on new market road, Onitsha, Anambra State.

The suspects were seen in a video which went viral on social media yesterday manhandling a disabled man wearing a military camouflage.

The Deputy Director Public Relations, Headquarters 82 Division Nigerian Army (NA), Enugu, Colonel Sagir Musa in a statement yesterday condemned the act.

The video showed the soldiers disembark from a van and pouncing on the handicapped man. One of them dispossessed the man of his wheelchair and flung it away.

Musa, in a statement said: “The attention of the Nigerian Army has been drawn to a video clip where two soldiers were seen maltreating a physically-challenged person for allegedly wearing a camouflage shirt on Tuesday, February 7, 2017, at Onitsha, Anambra State.

“In line with our zero tolerance for acts of indiscipline and unprofessional conducts especially in relation to violation of human rights, the division has with great concern studied the video, identified and arrested the perpetrators. It is our position that their action does not reflect the attitude of today’s soldiers under the leadership of Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusuf Buratai.

“They have also been charged for assault by their commanding officer. Similarly, troops have been warned to desist from such acts that infringe on human rights and cast serious aspersions on the good image of the Nigerian Army.

“The public should please regard this ugly incident as an isolated case, which is not true reflection of the Nigerian Army.”

He added that the Nigerian Army has always preached tolerance, respect for others and peaceful co-existence.

In the statement titled “Video clip of two soldiers manhandling a physically-challenged person in Onitsha,” Musa stressed that: “Whatever human right infraction is seen, appropriate sanction would be applied to serve as deterrence to others. This case would not be an exception.”

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