Army General Jailed For Losing Equipment To Boko Haram

The Nigerian Army on Thursday, convicted a Brigadier General, Enitan Ransome-Kuti, blamed for the loss of Baga in Borno State to Boko Haram insurgents in January.

Mr. Ransome-Kuti who was arraigned before a military court, sitting in Mogadishu barracks, Abuja, in May, was accused of cowardly behaviour, loss of weapons to Boko Haram and negligent performance of military duty under section 62b of the armed forces act.

In its judgment, the court dismissed the charge bordering on cowardly behaviour, following a no-case submission by the defendant.

The court said the officer was right in withdrawing his troops in the face of superior firepower from Boko Haram terrorists.

He was however, sentenced to six-month imprisonment for loss of equipment to the extremist sect.

Mr. Ransome-Kuti was also found guilty for negligently performing his duties and was therefore dismissed from service.

Femi Falana, (SAN), assisted by a retired Army Major, Femi Oyebanji, represented the convicted General during the trial.

Mr. Falana told Premium Times on Friday morning that his team would review the judgment, which he described as contradictory.

He promised to provide further details later.

Mr. Ransome-Kuti, his Chief of Staff, Lieutenant Colonel G.A. Suru and some other senior officers, were arrested for failing to repel Boko Haram attack on the headquarters of the Multinational Joint Task Force in Baga.