12 convicted soldiers don’t deserve to die –Poll

Convicted Soldiers.

The 12 soldiers sentenced to death by the Nigerian Army on September 14, 2014 for their roles in an attack on the General Officer Commanding, Maj. Gen Ahmed Mohammed, do not deserve to die.

Nigerians and other online readers believe that in a democratic dispensation, the Army should not bring back the sad memories of the dark periods of military rule.

This is the outcome of a poll conducted by PUNCH ONLINE.
The online poll, which opened on September 17, 2014 and ended on September 24, 2014, presented respondents with the question: ‘Do you think the Army is justified to have sentenced to death, soldiers, who attacked their GOC over poor welfare and inadequate weapons?’

One thousand and one respondents took part in the online poll, choosing either ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ in response to the poll question.

Eight hundred and fifty nine respondents, representing 86 per cent, are of the opinion that the military’s position is not justified in sentencing the soldiers to death by firing squad.
One hundred and forty two respondents, representing 14 per cent are of the view that the soldiers deserve to be killed.

The soldiers had on May 14, 2014 attacked the GOC in Maiduguri, Borno State, protesting what they believed was his complicity in events that led to the killing of some of their senior colleagues, who died while returning from a battleground, after being ambushed by Boko Haram militants.
The military, citing its codes, described the troops’ action as mutiny, a serious offence in the military.
Eighteen soldiers were court martialled. Out of which 12 were sentenced to death by firing squad, five were discharged and acquitted while the remaining one was jailed for 28 days with hard labour.
The judgment by the President of the Court Martial, Maj. Gen. C.C. Okonkwo, has generated mixed feelings among the populace.

Respondents, who voted ‘Yes’, must have hinged their response on the fact that mutiny anywhere in the world is a grave offence, and such mutineers fit to be killed, as their action is a violation of military etiquettes. 

On the other hand, respondents who voted ‘No’ might have aligned with the position of the Nigeria Labour Congress, which has called on the leadership of the Armed Forces to commute the death sentence on the soldiers to lighter sentences.

Acting President of the NLC, Chief Promise Adewusi, said, “If the Court Martial functioned as a mechanical clock, we expect the Army Council or the appropriate authority, whose responsibility it is to review the sentences of this nature, to commute this sentence to a more tolerable or acceptable one.
“Our appeal is hinged on the fact that the brutal execution of the twelve will not restore discipline by fiat.

“Rather, it could sow the seed of a major security problem in the Armed Forces since the problem of corruption, poor kitting, equipping and treachery are said to be common to virtually all the military units or formations in the conflict area.

“In the light of the foregoing, we are urging the military authorities to commute the death sentence on the twelve to a lighter sentence.”