NIGERIAN ARMY JAILS GENERAL OVER BOKO HARAM WAR

Nigerian Army dismisses, jails Army General for losing equipment to Boko Haram

Brig. Ransome Kuti

The Nigerian military on Thursday convicted a Brigadier General, Enitan Ransome-Kuti, blamed for the loss of Baga in Borno State to Boko Haram insurgents in January.

Mr. Ransome-Kuti, son of Beko Ransome-Kuti, a foremost Nigerian pro-democracy activist who died on February 10, 2006, was arraigned before a military court, sitting in Mogadishu Barracks, Abuja, in May.

He was accused of cowardly behaviour, loss of weapons to Boko Haram, and negligent performance of military duty under section 62b of the Armed Forces Act.
In its judgment Thursday, the court dismissed the charge bordering on cowardly behaviour, following a no-case submission by the defendant.

The court said the officer was right in withdrawing his troops in the face of superior firepower from Boko Haram terrorists.

He was however sentenced to six-month imprisonment for loss of equipment to the extremist sect.

He was also found guilty for negligently performing his duties and was therefore dismissed from service.

Femi Falana, SAN, assisted by a retired Army Major, Femi Oyebanji, represented the convicted General during the trial.

Mr. Falana said on Friday morning that his team was still reviewing the judgment, which he described as contradictory.

He promised to provide further details later.

Mr. Ransome-Kuti, his Chief of Staff, Lieutenant Colonel G.A. Suru, and some other senior officers, were arrested for failing to repel Boko Haram attack on the headquarters of the Multinational Joint Task Force [MNJTF] in Baga in January.

Also arrested at the time were the Commanding Officers of the 134 and 174 Battalions — Lieutenant Colonel Haruna and Major Aliyu. The two battalions were under the MNJTF during the period.

Mr. Ransome-Kuti was the commander of the multinational force during the attack.