Court Martial Sentences Soldier To Death By Hanging, Another To 10 Years Imprisonment

By Zagazola Makama 

 A General Court Martial (GCM) sitting at the Headquarters, 82 Division, Nigerian Army, Enugu, has sentenced a soldier, Private Adamu Mohammed, to death by hanging and another, Private Abubakar Yusuf, to 10 years imprisonment for murder and robbery respectively.

The GCM, which was inaugurated on Feb. 18, 2025, by the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 82 Division, Maj.-Gen. Oluyemi Olatoye, tried personnel for various offences that could not be disposed of summarily.

Brig.-Gen. Sadisu Buhari, President of the GCM, while delivering judgment, said Mohammed was found guilty of the murder of his girlfriend, Miss Hauwa Ali, an offence punishable under Section 106 (a) of the Armed Forces Act, Cap A20 LFN 2004.

Buhari said the unanimous decision was reached after a thorough review of the facts, the soldier’s service record, and a plea for leniency by the accused and his counsel.

“In the interest of societal decorum and justice for the deceased, the law had to be applied to its fullest,” he said.

Accordingly, Mohammed, with service number 21NA/80/6365, was sentenced to death by hanging.

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In a related judgment, the GCM sentenced Private Yusuf to 10 years imprisonment for robbery committed at a mall in Enugu.

The court found Yusuf, with service number 23NA/85/12116, guilty of robbery under Section 107(1)(b) of the Armed Forces Act.

While noting that the plea for mitigation was considered, Buhari said the inability of the GCM to reach the unanimous decision required for the maximum penalty led the panel to sentence Yusuf to 10 years imprisonment under Section 140(3) of the Act.

The president of the GCM noted that the findings and sentences for both soldiers are subject to confirmation by the appropriate confirming authority.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Army, through the Acting Deputy Director, 82 Division Army Public Relations, Lt.-Col. Jonah Unuakhulu, reassured the public of its commitment to upholding ethical standards and professional conduct.

He emphasised that the wrongful actions of a few do not reflect the values of the Army, and that decisive measures are always taken to ensure accountability and maintain discipline within its ranks.