The Nigerian Army had confirmed the reinstatement of 3,032 out of
5,000 dismissed soldiers whose cases were reviewed by a committee
constituted by the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur
Buratai.
The acting Director of Army Public Relations, Colonel Sani Usman, made
this known at a news conference in Abuja on Thursday.
Usman, however, said the cases presented to the disciplinary review
committee were treated on merit, adding that the review process was
still on.
According to Usman, only soldiers with disciplinary cases have been
reinstated as those with criminal cases are not even considered by the
committee.
He said: “You would recall that the Nigerian Army sometime ago
instituted a committee to review the recent disciplinary cases in the
service, especially of those soldiers in the defunct ‘Operation Zaman
Lafiya’.
“The committee has concluded its initial sitting and has made certain
recommendation that led to the reinstatement of 3,032 soldiers out of
5,000 cases reviewed so far.
“The cases reviewed were only disciplinary as no criminal cases were considered.
“The review is ongoing but the bulk of the work has been done for the
time being.”
The director said the reinstated soldiers had since commenced
re-training at a military facility in Niger State preparatory for
their eventual redeployment to the operational theatre.
Usman said the re-training would reacquaint the reinstated soldiers
with development in the reinvigorated fight against insurgency in
parts of the Northeast.
He said: “The reinstated soldiers have shown their total readiness to
be re-launched into theatre to combat insurgency and have commenced a
re-training at the Nigerian Army Training Centre, Kontagora, Niger.
“This training is to re-orientate the affected soldiers and prepare
them for the closing stage of the operational aspect of the
counter-insurgency operations with more weapons and new leadership.
“It must, however, be made clear that not all dismissed soldiers were
granted pardon and recalled.
“Those with criminal cases had their sentences upheld.”
Usman expressed the commitment of the present administration towards
encouraging officers and soldiers, especially those in the frontline,
to give their best in their service to the nation.
He said government would reward the gallantry of officers and soldiers
involved in the ongoing operations in the North East and other
operations in which the army was involved in.
The spokesman assured the public that the new army command was
committed to improving its relations with them.
According to him, all misunderstandings between some misguided
soldiers and the public are being addressed.
The News Agency of Nigeria recalls that the Nigerian Army under its
former Chief, Lieutenant General Kenneth Minimah, tried and punished
soldiers involved in the ongoing counter-insurgency operations for
indiscipline.
NAN.
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