Metro
Nigerian Soldier Detained Underground by Boko Haram Suspects for Expressing Family Concerns Over 70k Transport Costs
According to information obtained by SaharaReporters on Thursday, a Nigerian soldier stationed in Maiduguri, Borno State, who complained about not being able to visit his family because of the cost of transportation, has been held for months.
In the video, he claimed that upon arriving at the motor park, he was informed that the transportation fare to his town was N35,000. This implied that the total cost of the trip would be N70,000.
The soldier, using pidgin English, had said:
“See wahala oo, the Nigerian Army gave me a pass as I spent one year in Maiduguri today, they gave me a pass to go and see my family.
“As I left the bush, I reached the park and they (transporters) told me that from here to my town is N35,000. I calculated it and going and coming back is N70,000 and N50,000 is my salary that I was paid this month.
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“I don’t have any option again; I’m going back to the bush.”
In February, the soldier was taken into custody following the viral release of a video in which he bemoaned about spending a year in the Borno wilderness and receiving a pass to visit his family, but being unable to do so due to his N50,000 wage.
SaharaReporters revealed how he was transferred to the Military Special Investigation Bureau’s underground cell in Abuja a few weeks after his detention.
Terrorists from Boko Haram in the nation’s capital are the target of the SIB underground cell.
“This very soldier who complained about the current situation and the transport fare from Maiduguri to go and see his parents and relatives has been moved to an underground cell in Abuja,” a source had told SaharaReporters.
“His family members don’t even have access to him again. We were told that the Chief of Army Staff asked the Theatre commander to take the soldier either Abuja or Lagos for interrogation but he was later taken to SIB underground cell in Abuja.
“If I may ask again, what was his offence, someone complained about his salary, he is a human being like every other person. We are asking every international human right activists to help this soldier.”
Another soldier had added, “SIB underground cell in Abuja is same place the Army authorities keep Boko Haram suspects. We want international human right organizations to be involved, if not, this innocent boy will suffer a lot.
“Our salaries are not longer a secret, private soldiers like him receive N50,000 as monthly payment, even the present Chief of Defence Staff said it before the Senate and House of Reps, so I don’t see the reason taking this soldier to SIB underground Abuja for interrogation.
“We are just serving the nation but most of us are not happy with the bad system on ground right now. If you check the military, most of these complains are about the Army, not the Navy or Air force.
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“Our Army generals don’t want the truth, meanwhile, the real truth is out.”
According to a military source who spoke with SaharaReporters on Thursday, the soldier has been detained since his arrest in order to maintain media silence over his case.
“The army authorities are still detaining the soldier from Northeast who failed to travel due to the high cost of transportation. The soldier is still in detention over here in Abuja. He is at the SIB of the military police for nothing sake.”
According to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), 41 online fraudsters have been found guilty and sentenced to one year in prison each, with the possibility of a N100,000 fine.
The Federal High Court in Onitsha, Anambra State, presided over by Justices S. M. Shuaibu and Hauwa Inuwa, rendered the decision.
The EFCC stated in a post on its official X feed on Wednesday that the prisoners were placed in jail following their guilty pleas to one-count charges pertaining to gaining property by deception, possessing bogus documents, personating someone else, and helping to commit an offense.
The EFCC’s Enugu Zonal Command brought the charges against them.
Douglas James, Raphael Chikezie Uwakwe, Paul Chidera Kalu, Chisom Linus, Chiemezie Nweke, Eze Ugochukwu Stanley, Ndubuisi Nwafor, Ifeanyi Samuel, Nwosu Chukwuemeka, Madueke Emmanuel, and Edozie are among the prisoners, according to the statement. Godwin, Ahmed Fredrick Lukman, and Daniel Timothy Abonyi Chibuike Jude, Chukwuemelie Igboekwuna Christian, Okafor Vincent Chiemerie, Ugochukwu Raphael Ena, Chukwuemeka Franklin Obiji, Chukwuemelie Julius, and Okafor Chukwuma Desmaond.
Jezreel Arihiakamah Chinwendu, Paul Okereke Chiadi, Peter Chidera Iwu, Tochukwu Eze Solomon, Fred Chidera Okoye, Ezema Chiemerie Stanley, Emeka Ogbonna Daniel, Obinna Stanley Okafor, Udochukwu Peter Nnaewezie, Ebuka Johnson Olu, Okochi Ebuka Stanley, Promise Ogbodo Echezona, Ebuka Chukwu Joshua, Chisom Henry Udeagwueze, Ihechi Okechukwu Bright, Chibueze Maxwell Stephen, Ebuka Lucky Nwankwo, Isah Chinonso Peter, Ifeanyi Oguoke Kingsley, and Chinonso Eze Innocent are some of the others.
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One of the separate charges reads: “That you, Uwakwe Chikezie Raphael, sometime in 2024 in Onitsha, Anambra State, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court in Nigeria, fraudulently impersonated the identity of Everly Ruby, a female foreigner, through a Google account, via your iPhone X with intent to obtain money from unsuspecting foreign nationals and in order to gain advantage of yourself and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 22 (3) (a) (b) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act, 2015 and punishable under Section 22 (4) of the same Act”.
According to the EFCC, all 41 defendants entered “guilty” pleas after having their charges read to them individually. Michael Ikechukwu Ani, the commission’s lawyer, requested for the court to find the defendants guilty and to sentence them appropriately in light of their pleas.
Nonetheless, the defense team, consisting of Wisdom Ogbonna, Bernard Okeke, James Nwatarali, and Arinze Anyigo, implored the court to exercise clemency and balance justice with mercy when imposing sentences on their clients, pointing out that their admission of guilt for their acts was sufficient.
On Thursday, May 2, 2024, Justice Inuwa found and sentenced 27 of the offenders; the remaining 14 were found guilty on Friday, May 3, 2024.
In accordance with Section 462 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, the Justices also mandated that the convicted individuals perform community service.
Additionally, they directed that the EFCC conduct an auction of the items seized from them, including their laptops and cell phones, with the proceeds going into the Treasury Single Account.
The Nigerian Army reported that after bandits attacked Agunu Dutse Village in Kachia Local Government Area, Kaduna State, its troops, in keeping with their promise, reacted to a distress call.
It stated that six hostages, including two women and four children, were freed by the military without incident following a search and rescue mission.
The Nigerian Army said on its Facebook page that the rescued victims were back with their relatives.
The Nigerian Army said its troops, in their commitment, responded to a distress calls following bandits’ attack in Agunu Dutse Village in Kachia Local Government Area of Kaduna State
It said during a search and rescue operation, the troops rescued six hostages unhurt, including two women and four children.
In a statement on its Facebook page, the Nigerian Army noted that the rescued victims, have been reunited with their families.
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“Troops on fighting patrol were alerted to the presence of terrorists lurking in Amale village in Kaduna North Local Government Area. The troops, in collaboration with local vigilantes, engaged the terrorists, compelling them to abandon their firearms.
“Troops recovered one AK-47 rifle, a home-made gun, and a machete.
“Similarly, troops of the Nigerian Army deployed for Counter-terrorism operations in the North East and North West on Tuesday, May 7, 2024 in a display of valour successfully foiled multiple kidnap attempts, neutralizing the terrorists’ threats and reuniting victims with their families.
“In Borno State, the troops in a rapid response to actionable intelligence had an encounter with ISWAP fighters in Kulukawiya Village, located in the Nganzai Local Government Area of Borno State.” It said.
The statement said that during the encounter, a terrorist was eliminated and a loaded AK-47 weapon was seized.
Meanwhile, forces rescued a young child who had been kidnapped by the terrorists and confirmed that the youngster had been reunited with his father, Alhaji Musa.
Police have detained Anyim Vera, a member of the Dunamis International Gospel Center (DIGC), who gained attention after being charged with lying in a testimony.
Due to a conduct violation, Vera was reportedly arrested by the Nigerian Police Force on Tuesday.
Remember how Vera’s story went viral after Dr. Paul Enenche, the church’s senior pastor, interfered with her testimony at the church headquarters.
Enenche probed for further information, perplexed as to how a purported law graduate could speak bad English.
In response, Vera revealed she completed a Bachelor of Science in law at the National Open University of Nigeria. The clergy then told Vera to go back to her seat because they believed her testimony to be false.
But after interrupting her during her testimony, he apologized to her and said he never meant to bring Vera into disgrace.
Vera asked Nigerians for financial assistance soon after the tragedy so she could move into a better place to live.
She stated that it was no longer safe or appropriate for her status to live where she did.
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