Dismissed soldiers head to court

The 126 Soldiers dismissed by the Nigerian Army, have gone to court, to seek redress.

They are seeking an order by the court, to compel the Army to pay them N1m each of them for breach of fundamental right to fair hearing and freedom from discrimination.

They are also asking, among many other things, for N5m as the cost for prosecuting the suit.

In a suit filed at the National Industrial Court, Abu‎ja, the soldiers say they were not dismissed the right way.

They claim they were dismissed via an oral communication from one  ‎Lt-Col. M.J. Gambo on January 13, 2015 and Garrison Commander, Brig. Gen. B.O Akinroluoyo, later the next day.

Representing them in this suit, is human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN).

Speaking on the case, a lawyer from his chambers, Deji Morakinyo said the soldiers were denied “inviolable opportunity to be heard and make representation in defence and to state their respective cases.”

According to Morakinyo, “The claimants particularly aver that due to the insurgents’ counter-attack, and the re-capture of Bazza from the personnel of the defendant (the Nigerian Army), their Commanding Officer, Lt.-Col. A.A Egbejule, in line with military tradition, ordered tactical withdrawal by the Joint Force so as to re-strategise.”


Adding that “The claimants further and particularly aver that consistent with military tradition, the Joint Force had to comply with the superior order of their Commanding Officer, hence they withdrew as ordered by their Commanding Officer.”

The army through its counsel, Commander A.A Abu, said “the plaintiffs were duly sacked and thus asked the court to dismiss the suit on the grounds of lack of jurisdiction.”


You will recall, that 255 soldiers were sacked by the Nigerian Army for “disobedience to standing order and failure to perform military duties.”