About 227 soldiers who were
allegedly dismissed by the
military authorities yesterday
protested in Jos, the Plateau
State capital.
The protesting soldiers stormed
the NUJ secretariat in Jos with
placards asking the GOC 3rd
Armoured to prevail on
President Goodluck Jonathan
to intervene on their situation
because, according to them,
they were unjustly dismissed
without any known offence and
without the benefit of fair
hearing.
Leader of the protesting
soldiers, Sergeant Abiona
Elisha, said, “we were
dismissed this week Tuesday
from the service of the
Nigerian Army after sending us
to go and suffer fighting
insurgency in Adamawa, Yobe
and Borno states.
He said, “All of a sudden, we
were recalled to the barracks
and made to face trial. Even in
the trial, we were not given the
chance to defend ourselves,
they just took decision and
dismissed us.
“We were not even told what
were our offense during the so-
called trial. “We are surprised
that we can be treated like this
in our own country, we were
sent to fight insurgencies
without weapon; a lot of our
colleagues were killed in the
course of defending our
fatherland; even those who are
in the hospital treating injuries
they sustain from battle field
were also dismissed while still
on hospital admission.
“The worst situation is that,
families of our colleagues
killed in Adamawa and Yobe
are languishing in hunger as
Nigerian Army refused to pay
their entitlement.
So, we are calling on President
Goodluck Jonathan and the
Chief of Army Staff to intervene
in our case and reinstate us.”
However, when contacted, the
Deputy Director , Army Public
Relation Officer of the 3
Armored Division, Col. Texas
Chukwu, denied knowledge of
the dismissal of the soldiers.
He said, “I have no knowledge
of the issue, I just came back
from Maiduguri, I am not
aware any soldier was
dismissed.”
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