Condemned Soldier’s Family Cries To Buhari For Help

The family of a Nigerian soldier, Cpl. Stephen Clement, who was sentenced to death by firing squad alongside several others in 2014, has appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to grant the condemned soldiers amnesty.

Mr Stephen and the other soldiers were sentenced to death by the President of a Military Court-Martial, Brigadier-General, C.C. Okonkwo, for allegedly inciting mutiny against Major General Ahmed Mohammed, who was the GOC, 7 Division, Maimalari Barracks in Maiduguri.

They had opened fire at a car carrying Major General Mohammed in May, 2014, for allegedly causing the deaths of their colleagues.

The condemned soldiers were consequently handed the judgment after they were arraigned on a six-count charge bordering on various offences.

Four years after the judgement was passed, a blind sister to Mr Stephen, Esther, has told THE WHISTLER how the family has been suffering since Stephen, whom she described as the breadwinner of their household, was convicted.

Esther told our correspondent that she became blind in 2017 as her incarcerated brother was longer available to buy the drugs she normally uses for an eye infection she had been battling with.

The family of the Benue state born soldier is said to be languishing in poverty ever since he was sentenced four years ago. Our correspondent gathered that three months after Stephen’s incarceration, his father who was a retired corporal died of hypertension.

Stephen’s mother, who is said to currently be on a sick bed, resides in a house with a thatched roof said to have been built on a piece of land in Keffi, Nasarawa state, where her late husband had resettled the family after his retirement.

THE WHISTELER learnt that there’s currently no one to take care of Mrs Clement as she is left in the house with her blind daughter and little ones.

They are asking President Buhari to grant Stephen and the other soldiers amnesty so that he can take care of them.

Meanwhile, the soldiers condemned alongside Stephen are Cpl. Jasper Braidolor, Cpl. David Musa, Lance Cpl. Friday Onun, Lance Cpl. Yusuf Shuaibu, Lance Cpl. Igomu Emmanuel and Pte. Andrew Ngbede.

The others are Pte. Nurudeen Ahmed, Pte. Ifeanyi Alukhagbe, Pte. Alao Samuel, Pte. Amadi Chukwudi, and Pte. Allan Linus.

Below are the List of charges for which the soldiers were condemned in 2014:

Count 1: Statement of Offence: Criminal conspiracy to commit mutiny triable by court martial by virtue of Section 114 of AFA and punishable under Section 97(1) of the penal code CAP P89, laws of the Federation of Nigeria.

Particulars of offence: In that you on or about 14 May14 at Maimalari Cantonment in Maiduguri conspired to incite other personnel of 101 Bn to commit mutiny.

Count 2: Statement of Offence: Mutiny punishable under Section 52(1) (b) of AFA CAP A20, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

Particulars of Offence: In that you between 13 and 14 May 14 at Maimalari Cantonment in Maiduguri fired sporadically with intent to incite other personnel of 101 Bn against the authority of 7 Div.

Count 3: Statement of offence: Attempt to commit offences (murder) contrary to Section 95 and punishable under Section 106 of AFA CAP A20, laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

Particulars of Offence: In that you on or about 14 May 14 at7 DMSH Maimalari Cantonment in Maiduguri without justification attempted to kill Maj. Gen. A Mohammed (N/7915), the GOC 7 div( as he then was) by firing shots on his official vehicle (Command Jeep) which hit the right door where he sat.

Count 4: Statement of offence: Disobedience to particular orders punishable under Section 56(1) of AFA CAP A20, laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

Particulars of Offence: In that you on or about 14 May 14 at Maimalari Cantonment in Maiduguri wilfully disobeyed an order by LT Col E Azenda (N/10517), 2i/c 101 Bn to allow the corpses of 101 Bn personnel killed in action on 13 May 14 to be moved to UMTH mortuary by preventing the movement insisting on the arrival of the GOC before such movement could take place.

Count 5: Statement of Offence: Insubordinate behaviour contrary to and punishable under Section 54 (1) (b) of AFA CAP A20, laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

Particulars of Offence: In that you on or about 14 May 14 at Maimalari Cantonment in Maiduguri uttered abusive language “that officers are cowards” with threat to shoot the officers if they did not leave the premises.

Count 6: Statement of Offence: False accusation contrary to and punishable under Section 94 (a) of AFA CAP A20, laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

Particulars of Offence: In that you on or about 14 May 14 at Maimalari Cantonment in Maiduguri accused Lt Col E Azenda (N/10517), 2i/c of 101 Bn of conspiring with other officers to kill 101 Bn soldiers.