227 Nigerian Soldiers Protest Abrupt Dismissal, Say “We Were Sent To Fight Insurgents Without Weapons”

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News From The State Friday, January 16th, 2015

Agabus Pwanagba, Jos – About 227 soldiers dismissed from the 3 Armoured Division in Jos took to the street on Friday to protest against their dismal dismissal even as they urged President Goodluck Jonathan to intervene in their case.

Protesting Soldiers

The soldiers carrying various placards claimed the military authority dismissed them without given them fair hearing.

The leader of the protesting dismissed soldiers, Elisha Abiona narrated their ordeal thus:

“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.

“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 our offences were during the so-called trial.

“We are surprised that we can be treated like this in our own country. We were sent to fight insurgents without weapons. A lot of our colleagues were killed in the course of defending our fatherland. Even those who are in hospitals treating injuries they sustained from battle fields 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 entitlements.

“So we are calling on President Goodluck Jonathan and Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. General Kenneth Minimah, to intervene in our case and reinstate us.”