Soldier Sentenced to Death by Hanging, Another Jailed 10 Years for Robbery — Court Martial
A General Court Martial (GCM) sitting at the Headquarters of the 82 Division, Nigerian Army, Enugu, has sentenced a soldier, Private Adamu Mohammed, to death by hanging for murder and another, Private Abubakar Yusuf, to 10 years imprisonment for robbery.
This was made known in a press statement issued on April 28, 2025, by Lieutenant Colonel Jonah Unuakhalu, the Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations for the 82 Division. The verdicts were handed down after a thorough judicial process conducted by the GCM, which was inaugurated on February 18, 2025, by the General Officer Commanding, Major General Oluyemi Olatoye, to try erring personnel within the division.
According to the President of the GCM, Brigadier General Sadisu Buhari, Private Adamu Mohammed was convicted of the murder of his girlfriend, Miss Hauwa Ali — an offence punishable under Section 106 (a) of the Armed Forces Act, Cap A20 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
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“Given this, the GCM has determined that the accused soldier, 21NA/80/6365 Private Adamu Mohammed, is hereby sentenced to death by hanging for the charge of murder,” Brigadier General Buhari announced, noting that the judgment was unanimous and arrived at after considering the facts of the case, service record of the soldier, and pleas for leniency.
In a related development, Private Abubakar Yusuf was found guilty of committing robbery at a mall in Enugu. Though his defence presented a plea for mitigation, the GCM ruled that he be sentenced under Section 107(1)(b) of the Armed Forces Act. Due to the lack of unanimity required for a stiffer sentence under Section 107(2), the court instead applied Section 140(3) to deliver a 10-year imprisonment sentence.
“The GCM, relying on the provisions of Section 140(3) of the Armed Forces Act, hereby sentences the accused soldier, 23NA/85/12116 Private Abubakar Yusuf, to 10 years imprisonment,” Brigadier General Buhari declared.
The judgments are subject to confirmation by the appropriate military authority, marking the end of their trials.
The Nigerian Army reiterated its commitment to upholding discipline, ethics, and accountability within its ranks. It emphasized that while the actions of a few do not reflect the values of the institution, decisive action is taken to maintain public confidence and operational integrity.
By PRNigeria
