Boko Haram helpers, 8 military officers for court martial

The military court martial constituted to try soldiers and officers who allegedly violated military rules of engagement resumed sitting for the trial of seven officers, including a brigadier, and a soldier at the Ikeja Cantonment, Lagos.
Competent military source told Daily Sun that only eight personnel of the Nigerian Army have been brought before the military court contrary to earlier reports that 19 nineteen soldiers were being tried by the court.
The officers presented for trial the source said, include Brigadier-General J.O Komolafe, Colonels I.B. Maina and I. A Aboi; Lieutenant Colonels NN Orok C. A. Magaji, A.O. Agwu and O.O. Obolo, as well as the soldier whose identity was not revealed.
These eight officers it was gathered were among the former 22 officers who had been on trial at the court martial for offences ranging from desertion, to charges of cowardice and failure to fight the Boko Haram sect.
They are also being tried for alleged negligence and complicity in the invasion of the 21 Artillery Brigade, Bama, Bornu state by members of the Boko Haram insurgents on September 2, 2014.
Although the trail was not open to the media and indeed the public, it was gathered that the officers were also accused of failure to perform their military duties, negligent performance of military duties and other offences relating to service property. Although the court martial suffered series of postponement, the board was able to dispose of 14 other cases brought before it.
Confirming the court martial, the spokesman for the 81 Division in Lagos, Colonel Kingsley Samuel said: “The court martial resumed sitting on Monday, January 25, 2016, to continue hearing cases of seven other officers and a soldier.
“This is against erroneous news reports that 19 officers of the Nigerian Army are facing trial at the court martial.
“The case was part-heard and now the court martial board has continued to hear the case. This is not a fresh courtmartial but a continuation of the former one.”