The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Soldier

  • Fake soldier arrested in Lagos riverine community

    Fake soldier arrested in Lagos riverine community

    Operatives attached to Isheri-Osun Police Division in Lagos State have arrested an alleged fake Sergeant Major (RSM), Femi Balogun, fully clad in military camouflage.

    Balogun was apprehended about 3pm on Saturday at Ijegun, a riverine community notorious for pipeline vandalism and safe haven for vicious criminals.

    It was gathered that the suspect, alleged to have been on the Army’s wanted list, was arrested by operatives on visibility patrol along Fagbile Estate in Ijegun.

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    Police spokesperson Benjamin Hundeyin confirmed the arrest. He said the military had been contacted and Balogun was confirmed to be a fake soldier upon interrogation.

    Hundeyin said the suspect would be charged to court after investigation.

  • Soldier accidentally shoots self to death

    Soldier accidentally shoots self to death

    A soldier attached to the 35 Artillery Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Abeokuta, has accidentally shot himself to death.

    The soldier died from the accidental gunshot to his head, spokesman of the 81 Division, Nigerian Army, supervising the brigade, Lt.-Col. Olabisi Ayeni stated on Wednesday.

    Ayeni stated that upon hearing the accidental gunshot, the deceased’s colleagues rushed to the scene and found him in a pool of his own blood.

    “Investigation has since started to unravel the circumstances and possible remote cause of the unfortunate incident.

    “The remains of the soldier have been evacuated and deposited at the Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta,’’ Ayeni stated.

    Read Also: Female soldier cries out over alleged abuse by senior officers, army probes allegation

    He urged members of the public to disregard insinuations making the rounds in the social media that the soldier terminated his life because of non-payment of Ration Cash Allowance.

    “The late soldier was deployed to the Brigade Standby Force on Jan.15, alongside his colleagues and they were adequately fed in line with the Nigerian Army’s standard for troops on duty.

    “The division feels deeply concerned that some mischief makers will employ such sad occurrence to malign the image of the Nigerian Army,’’ Ayeni stressed.

    He added that the division, through the Commander, 35 Artillery Brigade, had informed the deceased’s family and also expressed heartfelt condolences and sympathy over the unfortunate incident.

    “It is pertinent to reiterate that the division is committed to providing necessary welfare required to boost the morale of troops.

    “Therefore, the division will not under any guise take the welfare of its troops lightly as being wrongly insinuated,’’ Ayeni also stated.

    (NAN) 

  • Female soldier cries out over alleged abuse by senior officers, army probes allegation

    Female soldier cries out over alleged abuse by senior officers, army probes allegation

    A female soldier identified as Ruth Ogunleye has cried out and accused some senior officers of maltreatment.

    Ogunleye claimed that some superiors, whom she identified as Col. IB Abdulkareem, Col. GS Ogor, and Brig. Gen. IB Solebo made her life unbearable.

    Reacting, the Nigerian Army promised to investigate the allegations of the female soldier.

    Sharing her experience on TikTok via her handle @Ogunleyeruthsavage1, she claimed that Col. Abdulkareem had made repeated attempts to assault her.

    Ogunleye also alleged that the senior officer administered injections against her will, forcefully ejected her from her residence, and kept her in a psychiatric hospital for several months.

    She added that the officer has hindered her career advancement by denying her promotion courses because she allegedly rejected his advances.

    Ogunleye said: “In 2022, I was posted to Cantonment Medical Centre, Ojo, where I met Col IB Abdulkareem who requested sex from me and I refused. Ever since then, this man has been my nightmare in the Army, threatening to dismiss me each time.

    “He comes to my room to inject me in my apartment. Send some boys to my house. If I’m lying I have all evidence. I have evidence against him and I have witnesses.

    “He also stigmatised me that I have a mental illness. Each time I try to expose him or each time any senior person or any senior officer tries to intervene, he will tell them I have a mental illness.

    “He [froze] my account for one year. February last year till date, no salary.”

    “Anytime he feels like he wants to embarrass me, he asks some soldiers to beat me. After beating me up, they will inject me. He will ask one Funke Ayeni, she is a female soldier, and he will ask her to set me up. She will set me up, inject me and they will go and throw me somewhere. At the end of the day, this Brig. Gen. IB Solebo and some of those senior colonels, they will come to that place, they will be videoing me,” she added.

    She appealed to Nigerians for support.

    Meanwhile, the Nigerian Army promised to investigate Ogunleye’s allegations.

    In a statement, the Director of Army Public Relations, Maj. Gen. Nwachukwu Onyema said the investigation was to ascertain the extent of her claims.

    Onyema also slammed the female soldier, adding that she did not seek redress according to the laid-down procedure.

    The statement read: “The Nigerian Army has been inundated with audiovisuals making the rounds on social media of the unprofessional conduct of a female soldier in mufti who claimed to have been maltreated by some senior officers.

    “It is instructive to state that, considering the gravity of the allegations, NA, as a disciplined force, will conduct a thorough investigation into the matter.

    “It is crucial to point out that contrary to the claims made in the video, the soldier in question has not exhausted the laid-down procedure for seeking redress in the NA. This is aside from Human Rights and Gender Desks established in Army Headquarters and across NA formations, where complaints about human rights and gender issues are also entertained.

    Read Also: Army probes alleged maltreatment of female soldier

    “The NA remains a professional force that self-regulates and conducts its activities in adherence to established rules and ethics while upholding the highest standards of discipline amongst personnel. We, therefore, encourage all personnel to always utilise the established channels for addressing grievances and concerns as a member of a noble and disciplined force.”

    Onyema said that appropriate actions would be taken in line with the findings of the investigation.

    “We assure the general public that the NA as an institution is committed to upholding the integrity and morals of its personnel and as such, appropriate actions will be taken based on the findings of the investigation.

    “We urge the public to allow the investigative process to take its 

  • Crisis brews in Enugu market over alleged brutality of traders by soldiers

    Crisis brews in Enugu market over alleged brutality of traders by soldiers

    Heavy crisis is brewing in the newly established Enugu International Building Materials Market, otherwise known as New Kenyatta, Ugwuaji, Enugu over the alleged continuous brutality and humiliation of traders by soldiers posted to guard the market.

    To stem the ugly development, stakeholders in the market, have called on the General Officer Commanding 82 Division of Nigeria Army, Enugu, asking for a redress, warning that such abuses might result in confrontation and protests.

    Our correspondent, who visited the market recently, observed the presence of soldiers and policemen in the market.

    It was gathered that the developers of the market had brought the soldiers to guard the market and ‘to protect his interest.’

    However, traders told our correspondent that the soldiers had since gone beyond the reason they were brought to the market and started molesting and humiliating the traders.

    A trader, who pleaded anonymity said: “Since we relocated to this market last year, soldiers have been the ones guarding the market. But, recently the soldiers have resorted to brutalizing the traders and often openly humiliate people on account of what they consider insubordination or something.

    “We have a rule that the market must close by 6 pm. But you know that usually, what we used to do is those who leave the market after 6 pm, pay certain fines to the security committee in the market.

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    “But the soldiers have since taken it upon themselves to be flogging people who were not able to close shops before 6 pm. Heavy brutality is what people are facing in the hands of the soldiers.

    “Again, last Thursday, a trader with having running stomach had gone to the unoccupied shops towards the end of the market to ease himself. But one of the soldiers saw him and started flogging him like a criminal, stripped him, and still forced him to use his bare hands to pack the mess.

    “The soldier was not done yet, he still paraded the trader within the market with the shit in his bare hands above his head. He ensured the trader stood in the road with the mess in his hands for over one hour. This is the worst humiliation anyone can face.”

    The trader disclosed that they had asked their market leaders to find out why the soldiers should continue to be allowed to be in the marketplace, “but the developers insisted that the soldiers were brought at their own instance.

    “I want to let you know that the way the soldiers are going, they would one day kill someone in the market and you can’t guarantee what will be the consequences because the traders are really angry”.

    Another trader also told our correspondent that the soldiers were always fond of threatening to shoot anyone who tried to stand up to his right in the market.

    “There is nobody in this market who is a miscreant. But the soldiers keep treating people as if they are ordinary touts.

    “Unfortunately, all the people we elected to lead us in the market seem to be comfortable with the way the soldiers are brutalizing us at any slightest provocation.

    “They would always threaten to shoot anyone who complains openly to them.

    “So, if nothing is done this early, they will kill someone here one day and possibly tag the person as a criminal or IPOB ESN as they always do.

    “So, I’m calling on the developers and the Commander 82 Division of the Nigerian Army to act fast before these soldiers turn our peaceful marketplace into a slaughterhouse.”

    All efforts to reach the developers or market leaders for reaction were unsuccessful.

    But the spokesman of the 82 Division of Nigeria Army, Enugu, Major Eromosele Unuakhalu, said he would find out and respond appropriately.

    His message read: “Good morning. I will find out and get back to you”, but as of the time of filing this report, he was yet to return.

  • Soldiers rescue Zamfara varsity students

    Soldiers rescue Zamfara varsity students

    Soldiers attached to Operation Hadarin Daji yesterday morning rescued the abducted students of Federal University Gusau, Zamfara State, after a gun duel with terrorists.

     The students were abducted on Saturday when terrorists stormed off-campus hostels in Sabon Garin Damba, Gusau, and took away four students.

     It was the second time the terrorists would be attacking the university’s off-campus hostels in less than 30 days.

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    Spokesperson for the 1 Brigade Nigerian Army in Gusau, Ibrahim Yahaya, said while two of the students escaped during an exchange of fire between the troops and the terrorists, the two others were rescued by the soldiers during the encounter.

    Yahaya said in a statement that the soldiers responded swiftly after receiving reports of the abduction by blocking the route the terrorists were to follow.

    He said the terrorists ran into the soldiers while taking the students to their den through the route.

  • We won’t tolerate any form of economic sabotage, COAS warns soldiers

    We won’t tolerate any form of economic sabotage, COAS warns soldiers

    The Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, has told soldiers  and officers that the army under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will not tolerate any form of economic sabotage in the Niger Delta region.

    Lagbaja told the personnel that the President remained committed to totally transforming the army and would require them to demonstrate complete loyalty in achieving the government’s targets of  economic recovery, security and infrastructural development.

     He insisted that no personnel should be linked to pipeline vandals and other criminal elements sabotaging the nation’s economy.

    The COAS spoke in Port Harcourt yesterday  during a visit to the 6 Division of Nigeria Army, Port Harcourt, where he inaugurated the remodeled reception of the Division, Ordnance Tailoring Factory, 46 Engr. Bedroom RSM, GAR. Accommodation, 10 gunboats and vehicles, remodeled NYSC lodge, 6 Div Engineering Regiment.

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     Lagbaja was also in the state to lay the foundation for the 6 Division Shopping Mall, and kick off  Operation Still Water III.

     Lagbaja, while addressing men and officers of the Division at the 29 Battalion Parade Ground, commended the personnel for their war against oil thieves within the state and the region and called on them to intensify their efforts.

    He said the military’s efforts yielded expected results following reports by the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited improved in 2023.

     He said: “Thank you, troop of 6 Division for your service to the nation. Your operational activities are well noted and they have contributed positively to the nation’s economic development.

    “Just yesterday, the NNPCL reported that the crude oil production in Nigeria has reached its peak in 2023. And that is all due to your anti-bunkering and combating illegal economic activities in your Area of Responsibility (AoR). So, well done.

    “I still want to charge you, that for the fact that you are being commended now does not mean you should go and sleep. You still have a lot to do.

     “The focus of the government is economic recovery, security and infrastructural development. A nation cannot experience any form of economic recovery without first having a grip of the oil industry and you are key to that firm grip of the oil industry.

  • Soldier and democrat

    •Gen Akinrinade, at 80, is worthy of a nation’s gratitude

    He has seen it all, wartime and peacetime, politics and governance, scoundrels and heroes, heroics and villainy. He has since the 1960’s stood on the side of nobility. He staked his honour and energies not only as a soldier but what scholars call an Aristotelian man of affairs.

    Today at 80, it is without controversy that we call General Ipoola Alani Akinrinade not only an officer and gentleman, but also a patriot of the first rank. When he joined the army in the 1960’s, he expected to restrict himself to the unobtrusive glamour of a man of uniform.

    Soldiers like him marched into the battlefield because a civil war erupted. A 30-month fratricidal blood boil that ensued claimed many citizens on both sides. Nigeria became a model of underdevelopment with starvation, butchery and hate being the narrative of a young nation.

    Akinrinade as major and lieutenant-colonel served in the army, and independent stories showed him a loyal officer in the service of a nation. He never hated the Biafrans while fighting for the collective soul of a nation he signed up as a soldier to serve. The story is told in a book, A Tragedy of Victory by General Alabi Isama, in which rather than merely shooting down a Biafran officer who took to his heels through the marsh and bushes of the Niger Delta region, the then Major Akinrinade sprinted after him, in spite of a risk of being gunned down by a Biafran straggler, and personally caught the soldier and arrested him. The man, according to accounts, became his friend even after the end of hostilities.

    He was at the head of negotiations in the febrile intrigues of battle to secure the surrender of the Biafran forces while the head of the Third Division, or the Third Marine Commando, then Colonel Olusegun Obasanjo, was on a wild goose chase in Biafra. Akinrinade was then a lieutenant-colonel.

    He served as a soldier and officer of the Nigerian Army after the war, and rose to become chief of defence staff after a short stint as chief of army staff. He was also a general officer commanding of the first division. As an officer, he left the army as lieutenant-general. Since Nigeria was under military rule, he served as minister in a number of portfolios, including agriculture, water resources and rural development (1985- 1986), industries (1988 -1989) and transport (1989).

    During the 1976 attempted coup that cost us the life of the head of state, General Murtala Muhammed, he set up a military watch around the hideout of General Obasanjo, who was billed to take over as head of state. He did that of his own volition to protect his boss from any murderous mischief by irredentist soldiers. Obasanjo eventually ascended the post of head of state.

    His patriotism burst open when he set his face against his military peers by joining the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) after the Ibrahim Babangida regime annulled the historic June 12 election of 1993. It was a career suicide of sorts. He did it by rising above insular loyalty to embrace democratic ideals. He had evolved as a soldier into a republican virtue.

    He put his life and resources into it, and joined those fighters who left the country for sanctuary outside. His home was attacked with a bomb he was fortunate to survive but lost valuables, including documents about his soldiery.

    Gen. Akinrinade is a soldier’s soldier, and his service and wisdom will continue to illuminate the country for years to come.

  • Soldier ‘abducts’ LASTMA officer after passing BRT Lane

    An Army officer, Isiya Usman, dressed in mufti and three others yesterday allegedly abducted an official of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Afeez Badru, who stopped him from passing the BRT Lane.

    The incident allegedly occurred in Maryland, Lagos.

    Badru was allegedly taken Marda Barracks, opposite St. Dominic Church, Yaba and detained for seven hours.

    He was allegedly forced to write an undertaking that he vandalised the soldier’s bus and was responsible for the loss of his (Usman’s) phone, which he bought for N120,000 in Mali.

    After written the undertaking, Badru was freed to the LASTMA men who came for his release.

    An eyewitness said Badru and other LASTMA patrol team stopped Usman, who drove in Toyota Hiace bus marked KMC 648GE on BRT Lane.

    He said: “As Badru tried to snap the bus, the man (Usman) came out with a dagger and started stabbing him (Badru). Three others in the bus came out to drag Badru into the bus. Their actions infuriated passersby, motorists and Okada riders. The motorcyclists smashed the bus’ back windscreen.

    “The bus zoomed off. Motorcyclists chased it and blocked the road at Anthony bus stop. They tried to break the front windscreen before the soldier drove past them.”

    A LASTMA official (name withheld) said Badru was beaten up in the bus.

    “Badru’s phone got spoil in the process of dragging him into the bus. The three men in the bus used a big iron to hit Badru’s head while taking him away. He was also beaten up at the barracks,” he said.

    The Nation learnt that the soldiers threatened to deal with some LASTMA senior officials that went to the barracks to rescue Badru.

    Read also: 18 LASTMA officials killed, 24 injured in one year, says Ambode

    “He was not released until he was forced to write an undertaking. The soldier said he bought his lost phone in Mali where he went for peace keeping assignment,” the LASMA official further said.

    LASTMA Chief Public Affairs Officer Kole Adu decried the attitude of attacking LASTMA officials on duty.

    He said: “The public, especially force men, should stop harassing our men. They should stop flouting traffic rules. The bus is even untainted. The attack is getting too many. We are out to ease traffic and serve the people, be it uniformed men and civilians. It is getting too many for God’s sake. They should allow our men to do their job. Our official, Rotimi Adeyemo, was killed by a uniformed officer last month. This month will be two years another official, Bakare Olatunji, was killed. This is getting out of hand.”

    Army spokesman Lt. Col Sandu said the matter will be investigated and appropriate sanction will be meted out to the officer if found guilty.

  • Soldier dies as troops kill four terrorists in Borno

    The Army said one soldier was killed on Sunday when troops neutralised four Boko Haram terrorists, who came to attack Maibukarti village on Maiduguri-Damboa road.

    Brig.-Gen. Sani Usman, the Director of Army Public Relations confirmed this in a statement on Monday.

    Read Also: Gunmen terrorise motorists, others in Ondo

    Usman said weapons recovered from the terrorists include four AK-47 rifles, 45 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, 5 AK-47 rifle magazines. Also recovered were two motorcycles and one bicycle.

    Other items recovered were one bandolier, one cell phone, three SIM cards, an earpiece, some phone accessories, kolanuts, gloves and drugs.

  • Soldier, nine others die in Kebbi flood

    The Kebbi State government has confirmed the death of a soldier, Warrant Officer Marcell Nwankwo, and nine others, in two flood disasters on August 30.

    Nwanko was with the 223 Light Tank Battalion, Zuru.

    A statement by Governor Atiku Bagudu’s Chief Press Secretary, Abubakar Dakingari, said the incident happened in Kanya, Danko Wasagu Local Government Area and Mahuta in Fakai council.

    The statement reads: “A soldier and nine others died in a flood following incessant rainfall. The soldier was trying to rescue a woman from the flood when he drowned.”

    Dakingari said five bodies were recovered at Kanya and three in Mahuta. Nwankwo’s body was recovered at Unashi in Danko Wasagu council.

    Bagudu visited the Army barracks to condole with the commandant and Nwankwo’s family.

    He described the deceased as a quintessential soldier, who died in the service of humanity.

    “Nwankwo sacrificed his life to safe another, if Nigerians will emulate this soldier and protect one another, no country will be better than us,” Bagudu said.

    He also visited the communities to commiserate with people.

    The village Head of Kanya, Alhaji Isah Dan Hassan, told him that many houses, livestock and farmlands were destroyed.

    He urged the government to build emergency bridges and provide canoes to evacuate residents to safety.

    Chairman of the Fakai council Musa Jarma said 48 houses and a bridge were destroyed.