A Nigeria Court-martial on Tuesday in Maiduguri, Borno State capital on sentenced Trooper Azunna Maduabuchi to death by firing squad for killing the adjutant of his unit, Lieutenant Babakaka Ngorgi.
Maduabuchi of 212 Battalion was arraigned for murder after shooting Lieutenant Ngorgi in July 2020 at close range in Bama Local Government of Borno State for refusing to grant him a welfare pass.
“He held his rifle at rapid-fire and emptied nine rounds of ammunition on the deceased officer, N/16439 who was the Adjutant of 202 battalions,” the Court Martial President, Brigadier-General Arikpo Ekubi, said.
Maduabuchi was said to have shot Ngorgi while the later was on the phone to his newly married wife.
In his ruling, Brigadier-General Arikpo Ekubi declared : “The act of murder is a heinous crime against humanity; it offends the tenets of military regimentation and professionalism, You betrayed the truth and the confidence reposed in you by the Nigerian army to show dignity and respect for human life.”
“On this note, the sentence of this court-martial on you, 16NA/75/1343, Trooper Azunna Mmaduabuchi, for the offence of murder, is to suffer death as provided in section 106 of the Armed Forces Act. And this sentence is to be carried out by firing squad.,” the President of the Court-Martial ruled.
The Court Martial also sentenced four soldiers to various years of jail time for manslaughter by torturing a civilian to death for using a battery for a generator at an officers mess without their permission.
Private Mohammed Kuru, was dismissed and sentenced to three years in prison for firing an assault rifle at a civilian wedding which led to the accidental death of an 11-year- old boy, Adamu Musa Kolo.
Four other soldiers faced prosecution for manslaughter and were sentenced to various years of imprisonment. They include Sergeant Sani Ishaya, (four years), Lance Corporal Bidemi Fabiyi, (two years), while Private Adamu Abdulrasheed and private Musa Bala got one-year imprisonment each. READ
Lance Corporal Aja Emmanuel, was demoted to Private for assaulting Rahman Abdalla with his belt in Maiduguri metropolis.
He said the sentences were subject to confirmation by the appropriate Nigerian Military authority as provided under section 151 subsection 1(b) and section 152 Armed Forces Act, 2004.
The President of the Court Martial said the soldiers conducted themselves in an unprofessional manner, which was totally unacceptable to the Army, saying “When you took the laws into your hands by beating the deceased, Peter Okogu in Maiduguri, you committed an offence of assault.”