The Nigerian Army on Saturday dismissed the two soldiers – John Gabriel and Gideon Adamu – over the killing of popular Yobe Islamic cleric, Sheikh Goni Aisami Gashua.
The soldiers’ dismissal was announced at an event held at the 241 RECCE Battalion Nguru, where the soldiers were serving.
It marked the beginning of their civil trial as, according to the announcement, they will be returned to the police to be prosecuted for their alleged crime.
Gabriel confessed to killing Sheikh Aisami on Friday 19 August 2022 while trying to steal his car after the cleric had given him a lift from a military checkpoint where he was stationed.
The Acting Commanding Officer 241 RECCE Battalion, Lt. Col. Ibrahim Sabo, told journalists that the action of the soldiers did not reflect the image of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
He noted that the soldiers would be handed over to the police at Damaturu, the capital of Yobe State, by the Sector II headquarters, for civil prosecution.
“Good afternoon gentlemen. You are welcome to join the 24i RECCE Battalion Nguru. My name is Lt. Col. I O Sabo, the Acting Commanding General Officer.
“You are all aware of what happened a week ago when our service personnel of this unit went out to commit atrocities where the Nigeria police arrested them.
“Thanks to Almighty Allah that we were able to do what is needful. The first phase of what we did was to initiate a military police investigation and the report gave us the latitude to sanction them based on the sections of Armed Forces laws.
“They are now officially dismissed from the regiment from the Nigerian Army. We are taking them back to the sector headquarters in Damaturu which will now officially hand them over to the Nigeria Police to face their civil prosecution.
“Obviously, these men can never represent us. We are being paid by the Nigerian taxpayers’ money to hold guns and defend this country but these soldiers were not the true reflection of the Nigerian Army personnel. We want to assure you that we are law-abiding citizens and we want to dispense justice. If I am found wanting like these men, the same thing will happen to me.
“What you are seeing is the ‘dekitting’ of these soldiers. We will collect all military belongings in their care and even send their families packing out of this place,” Lt. Col. Sabo said.
