3 soldiers convicted to 56 years for illegal possession of arms

The Nigerian Army component of Operation Lafiya Dole, 7 Division, has sentenced three soldiers to jail for illegal possession of arms and ammunition yesterday in Maiduguri.

Vanguard reports that the General Court-Martial that tried the soldiers announced a jail term of 23 years for two of the soldiers, while the third was sentenced to 10 years.

Read also: Nigerian Politicians Bury Money in Coffins, God go punish all of them -Majek Fashek

On the judgment, Lt. Colonel Kingsley Samuel, Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, 7 Division, said: “A General Court Marshal sitting in 7 Division Garrison Pompomari, Maiduguri, Borno State, today (yesterday) sentenced two soldiers serving in Operation Lafiya Dole to 23 years jail terms, based on charges that bordered on unlawful possession of fire arms punishable under Section 27 (1) (a & b) (i & ii) of the Firearms Act.

“The convicts, Troopers Eric Nwokere and Macaulay Fortune, at the time of the arrest were in possession of five empty AK-47 rifle magazines and 20,136 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition at Jumputu Motor Park, Jimeta, Yola, while boarding a commercial vehicle to an unknown destination.

Read also: Police kill five kidnappers, rescue victim

“Another soldier, Corporal Garba Saidu, was also sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for unlawful possession of ammunition.

“He was arrested and charged for illegal possession of 2,800 rounds of 7.2mm ammunition, discovered hidden in a poultry farm near Tipper Garage in Maiduguri metropolis.

“The farm is said to belong to a serving policeman. He was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment.”