Military court-martials Navy fficer, three soldiers for various offences

The General Court-martial constituted last month to investigate the alleged gross misconduct of some of the military personnel of the Special Task Force (STF) otherwise known as Operation Safe Haven (OPSH) has concluded its assignment at the Headquarters of the 3 Armoured Division of the Nigerian Army in Jos.

It finished its assignment yesterday and meted out punishments to the offenders. One officer from the Nigerian Navy, a sub-lieutenant, and three soldiers serving with the OPSH were arraigned before the Military Court-martial for offences ranging from manslaughter, indiscipline and mishandling of service property. They had all pleaded not guilty when the offences were read to them at the beginning of the trial.

A military source told The Guardian yesterday that the only naval officer involved bagged one-year loss of seniority and a loss of pay for the year in question. For the three soldiers affected, one of them was jailed for 18 months, the second one was reprimanded while the third one lost his pay for three months.

The source said that the sentences of the general court-martial are subject to confirmation by the military high command.