100 Soldiers Protest Unlawful Dismissal From Army

About 100 soldiers are protesting their dismissal from the Nigerian Army. 


 The soldiers, who were allegedly dismissed by the Nigerian Army last year for losing their weapons and operational base to the Boko Haram insurgents in the north east, staged the protest on Wednesday.

 They demanded that the Nigerian Army should obey the directive of President Muhammadu Buhari for their reinstatement since August 2015.

 The soldiers also complained of not receiving their salaries since July 2015, a situation which they lamented brought untold hardship to them and their families.

 Some of them told reporters that their travail started after they were thoroughly scrutinized in September 2015 by an Army Investigative Board led by the General Officer Commanding One Division, Major General Adeniyi Oyebade.

The soldiers were later transferred to the Nigerian Army Training Centre (NATRAC) in Kontago, Niger State for a pre-reposting training.

 After the training, they said their names were omitted in the list of the over 3,000 soldiers that were re-instated.

 The aggrieved soldiers, who said that they were unjustly dismissed without any known offence and without the benefit of fair hearing, appealed to President Buhari and Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai to intervene in the matter with a view to reinstating them.

 The soldiers said they are willing and ready to serve the Nigerian Army and the country again if they are re-instated.