Army: We’ll discipline those who rebelled at Maiduguri airport

The Nigerian Army says the soldiers who protested at Maiduguri airport in Borno state will be disciplined in line with the rules of service.

Two weeks ago, some soldiers revolted at the airport over the suspicion that they were being deployed in the frontline of the battle against Boko Haram.

Speaking at a programme in Borno on Friday, A.M. Dikko, commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, said mutiny is an offence that attracts penalty.

“We don’t punish in the military. We discipline. Discipline is the bedrock of the job. If there’s no discipline, then we can’t have an army,” he said.

“So, if a soldier errs, he must be corrected.”,

Dikko reminded the soldiers involved in the act of the oath they took during recruitment, emphasising that they voluntarily joined the military.

“You have decided to put your life on the line for the territorial integrity of Nigeria. So it is very important that we are reminded of our roles and responsibilities to the nation and our responsibility to the society, most importantly our responsibility to ourselves because we are not a conscript army. We are a regular military,” he said.

“Those who have volunteered to serve and that is the only time you will volunteer, subsequently having offered your service, it is the responsibility of the services to deploy you where they find you appropriate.

“So it is important that we continue to retain our professional comportment so that we can serve diligently. It’s important that we uphold the values and ethics of the system that we belong to.

“It is also important that we understand it is a service to our fatherland. It is not a service to ourselves.

“The bedrock of your service as a soldier is discipline. A soldier must remain disciplined at all times. A soldier must obey instructions.”