Femi Falana, popular human rights lawyer
has written a letter to President Muhammadu
Buhari to grant presidential pardon to all
military officers convicted of mutiny.
Some of the soldiers who were discharged
and convicted for mutiny were pardoned by
the president although a number are still in
detention especially those the lawyer
defended.
In the letter published by PM News, Falana
said the only offence the soldiers committed
was that they had the temerity to demand for
weapons to fight the well-armed terrorists.
Falana noted that the misappropriation of
fund meant for the purchase of arms by the
former national security adviser, Sambo
Dasuki already vindicated the soldiers.
Part of the letter read: “At the trials the only
“offence” proved against the accused soldiers
was that they had the temerity to demand for
weapons to fight the well armed terrorists. But
the soldiers whose cases were handled by us
anchored their defence on Section 179 of the
Armed Forces Act, Cap A20, Laws of the
Federation of Nigeria, 2004 which permits “a
soldier, rating or aircraftman to make a
complaint to his commanding officer and that he
shall not be penalised for having made a
complaint”. We also proved that the National
Assembly had appropriated sufficient funds for
arms procurement in line with section 217 of
the Constitution which provides that “The
Federation shall, subject to an Act of the
National Assembly be equipped as made may
be considered adequate ..” To prove that the
funds had been criminally diverted by the
military authorities and their civilian cronies we
relied on the statement made by the then Chief
of Defence Staff, Air Marshal Alex Barde who
disclosed during his retirement ceremony that
the armed forces led by him lacked the military
hardware to fight the terrorists!”
Falana said since some soldiers convicted of
the same crime have been reinstated, it is
only fair that other receive the same
treatment.
“Since the soldiers who have been reinstated
and the scores of others who were convicted by
the courts-martial were alleged to have
committed the same “offence” General Butarai
ought to have treated them in like manner. In
other words, all the convicted soldiers should
equally have been pardoned and reinstated
without any conditions. More so, that the Arms
Procurement Panel instituted by Your Excellency
has confirmed that the sum of $2.1 billion and
N643 billion set aside for the purchase of
equipment for counter insurgency operations
was allegedly diverted by the immediate past
National Security Adviser, Col Sambo Dasuki
and his several accomplices. It has been further
revealed by the Panel that another sum of 42
billion and N69 billion for procurement of arms
for the Nigeria Air Force was equally diverted by
a coterie of serving and retired military officers
and their civilian accomplices.”
has written a letter to President Muhammadu
Buhari to grant presidential pardon to all
military officers convicted of mutiny.
Some of the soldiers who were discharged
and convicted for mutiny were pardoned by
the president although a number are still in
detention especially those the lawyer
defended.
In the letter published by PM News, Falana
said the only offence the soldiers committed
was that they had the temerity to demand for
weapons to fight the well-armed terrorists.
Falana noted that the misappropriation of
fund meant for the purchase of arms by the
former national security adviser, Sambo
Dasuki already vindicated the soldiers.
Part of the letter read: “At the trials the only
“offence” proved against the accused soldiers
was that they had the temerity to demand for
weapons to fight the well armed terrorists. But
the soldiers whose cases were handled by us
anchored their defence on Section 179 of the
Armed Forces Act, Cap A20, Laws of the
Federation of Nigeria, 2004 which permits “a
soldier, rating or aircraftman to make a
complaint to his commanding officer and that he
shall not be penalised for having made a
complaint”. We also proved that the National
Assembly had appropriated sufficient funds for
arms procurement in line with section 217 of
the Constitution which provides that “The
Federation shall, subject to an Act of the
National Assembly be equipped as made may
be considered adequate ..” To prove that the
funds had been criminally diverted by the
military authorities and their civilian cronies we
relied on the statement made by the then Chief
of Defence Staff, Air Marshal Alex Barde who
disclosed during his retirement ceremony that
the armed forces led by him lacked the military
hardware to fight the terrorists!”
Falana said since some soldiers convicted of
the same crime have been reinstated, it is
only fair that other receive the same
treatment.
“Since the soldiers who have been reinstated
and the scores of others who were convicted by
the courts-martial were alleged to have
committed the same “offence” General Butarai
ought to have treated them in like manner. In
other words, all the convicted soldiers should
equally have been pardoned and reinstated
without any conditions. More so, that the Arms
Procurement Panel instituted by Your Excellency
has confirmed that the sum of $2.1 billion and
N643 billion set aside for the purchase of
equipment for counter insurgency operations
was allegedly diverted by the immediate past
National Security Adviser, Col Sambo Dasuki
and his several accomplices. It has been further
revealed by the Panel that another sum of 42
billion and N69 billion for procurement of arms
for the Nigeria Air Force was equally diverted by
a coterie of serving and retired military officers
and their civilian accomplices.”
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