DHQ plans court martial of military officers, rejects allegation of encouraging impunity
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has rejected reports alleging that the two recent attacks on Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IkejaElectric) by military personnel were overlooked by the military authorities, suggesting impunity.
The officers were twice captured on video vandalising the office and beating up staff when they visited the premises in anger over unpaid bills of millions of naira.
A statement issued by the Director of Defence Information, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, said DHQ and the Services do not condone misconduct of personnel, citing standing court martials for the trial of erring ones and that Military Police officers are doing their job.
The statement, titled “Attack on Discos: Nigerian Military Not Above the Law”, reads:
“The attention of the Defence Headquarters has been drawn to the verdict of guilt placed on the entire Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN), by the editorial of a certain popular newspaper, Wednesday, March 2025.
“Given the esteem and critical roles of the journalism profession to the development of our dear country, it would have been more appropriate and in compliance with the professional ethics to fact check from the military hierarchy to confirm actions taken as regard the unfortunate incident before placing guilt judgement on the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
“Gleaning through the editorial, the conspicuous attempt to vilify or cast aspersion on the person of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Gwabin Musa, and the Service Chiefs as giving tacit support to what the editorial described as growing impunity amounts to being economical with the truth.
“We also believed that the editorial is not been fair to the AFN.
“Although the guiding ethics laid emphasis on the need to fact check and balance report, the said newspaper editorial, however, falls short of adherence to the basic roles of the profession.
“That the military has continued to ride roughshod on civilians and private enterprises, to say the least, amounts to drawing hyperbole on the superlative side.
“This is premised on the fact that we have 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria. Those isolated cases reported happened in Lagos.
“Therefore, to paint the picture to the general public as if this is a daily occurrence across the nation is not fair enough.
“The editorial also asserted that past incidences recorded were treated with levity and false conciliation devoid of punitive measures against erring personnel.
“This assertion is also worrisome. In the practice of journalism, comment is said to be free, but facts are sacred.
“Besides, stating the facts in editorial, there should be no room for personal opinion, to avoid being lopsided in judgement.
“The editorial column supposedly, is perceived by some readers as an objective opinion on national matters.
“This calls for caution in the commentary on sensitive and particularly, security issues.
“Therefore, it is not the newspaper that will now be recommending independent oversight mechanism, to ensure the military is accountable.
“In all the 3 Services including the Defence Headquarters, we have military police and Intelligence Corps, saddled with the task of thorough investigation and disciplining erring military personnel, these they have been doing with all due diligence, while having the overall national interest as guiding compass.
“The AFN in its resolve to ensure zero tolerance to indiscipline, has standby Court Martials in all its formations to try erring personnel.
“This has helped to strengthen the respect for citizens’ fundamental human rights.
“The AFN under the able leadership of General Christopher Musa will continue to remain focused, committed and submissive to the tenets of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
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