Army defends dismissal of 250 soldiers, rules out recall

The Nigerian Army yesterday gave reasons for dismissing 250 protesting soldiers, alleging that they were incorrigible and could no longer be tolerated by the military institution.

Meanwhile, the military authorities have observed that since access through known supply points to Boko Haram camps seems to have been blocked, some “unpatriotic elements” have been aiding terrorists in Yobe and Borno states through a nocturnal trade exchange for pecuniary benefits, which has sustained the insurgents so far.

The 250 soldiers, who were dismissed from the Army this second time, on the 1st of February for alleged cowardice and absconding from duty, gathered at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) secretariat in Kaduna on Tuesday, asking to be reinstated.

The soldiers claimed that they were dismissed for not being present at their last parade, a situation which they claimed was caused by inability of some of them to get vehicles to convey them to the parade ground in Jaji.

But the Spokesman of the Army, Colonel Sani Usman, at a press briefing, informed journalists that the affected soldiers had deliberately absconded after being told that they were to advance to the northeast on January 6, 2016, but quickly returned when it was apparent that not all those posted to the area were in the war front.

Col. Usman said despite the efforts to make all the reinstated soldiers comfortable, and integrate them into the system, “the protesting soldiers are the few who are recalcitrant to military duties and discipline.”
“They are simply not interested in army job but want to earn salary. No one should listen to them as they are not patriotic at all,” the Army spokesman said.

He explained that based on the understanding that they needed to be fit for the job, having been laid off for a while, the leadership of the Army retrained all the more than 2000 soldiers that were reinstated, to ensure they are fit again before deploying them to various units.

“It should be noted that the Nigerian Army has been tolerant and patient with their acts of indiscipline and unprofessional conduct. This was based on the understanding of their circumstances and conditions. Efforts have been made to retrain them, integrate and give them sense of belonging. However, the attitude of some of them has left so much to be desired and would not be tolerated anymore, hence their dismissal from service. The Nigerian Army thrives on discipline, loyalty and good conduct, and if anyone could not measure up to expectation or live by those tenets, he would not be allowed to remain in the system,” he said.

Col. Usman said the Army suspected that at some major markets in Yobe and Borno states, these “unscrupulous elements engage in all manners of illegal commercial activities, including trading and smuggling, especially during late hours, all aimed at sustaining terrorism and insurgency.” He said the markets have been closed forthwith and any breach of that action would be dealt with accordingly.