Falana urges Buhari to dissolve courts-martial

Human rights lawyer and senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari and chief of army staff, Tukur Burutai, to put an end to courts-martial in the country.

Falana, who appreciated the government’s reinstatement of 3,032 soldiers on Thursday, said more still has to be done by dismissing the military courts.

“The immediate past military authorities put several soldiers on trial for demanding for equipment to fight the war on terror. Seventy of the soldiers were convicted and sentenced to death while scores were jailed by courts-martial,” he said.

“As the demand of the soldiers was legitimate, the military hierarchy could not justify the spurious sentences. To avoid further embarrassment, thousands of other soldiers who were indicted for the same ‘offence’, were summarily dismissed from the army.

“Convinced of the illegality of the treatment meted out to the soldiers, we approached the federal high court and the national Industrial Court for redress.

“It is gratifying to note that the Buhari Administration and the Chief of Army Staff have decided to reinstate 3,032 among the dismissed soldiers.

“However, we urge the Federal Government to extend the commendable gesture to several officers and soldiers who are currently standing trial. The trial should be terminated while the courts-martial are dissolved forthwith.

Falana argued that the former chief of defence staff, Alex Badeh, had admitted that the military lacked equipment to prosecute the war on terror.

“In the same vein, the cases of those who have been convicted ought to be reviewed with a view to pardoning them in the interest of justice and fair play.

“More so, that the immediate past Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshal Alex Badeh has admitted that the armed forces led by him lacked the equipment to prosecute the war on terror.”