Sentencing for Military Personnel: A Deep Dive into the Death Penalty Confirmation Process
Military Tribunal Imposes Capital Punishment by Hanging on Soldier
In a shocking turn of events, a General Court Martial (GCM) convened at the Headquarters, 82 Division, Nigerian Army, Enugu, has imposed severe punishments on two soldiers. Private Adamu Mohammed has been sentenced to death by hanging for the cold-blooded murder of his girlfriend, while Private Abubakar Yusuf faces a decade behind bars for robbery.
As reported by our trusted source [1], the GCM, which began on February 18, 2025, under the supervision of the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 82 Division, Maj.-Gen. Oluyemi Olatoye, was established to try military personnel found guilty of offenses not triable summarily.
Delivering the verdict, the President of the GCM, Brig.-Gen. Sadisu Buhari, confirmed that Private Mohammed, bearing service number 21NA/80/6365, was guilty of the brutal murder of his girlfriend, Miss Hauwa Ali. The heinous act defied Section 106(a) of the Armed Forces Act, Cap A20, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 [2].
"In a quest for societal civility and justice for the deceased, the law had to be executed with its fullest extent," Brig.-Gen. Buhari declared [1]. To reach a verdict, the court evaluated the evidence, the suspect's service record, and calls for leniency, culminating in a unanimous decision [1].
In a related case, Private Abubakar Yusuf, with service number 23NA/85/12116, was found guilty of a robbery committed at a shopping mall in Enugu. The offense transpired under Section 107(1)(b) of the Armed Forces Act [2]. Lacking unanimous agreement among the court members, the sentence fell short of the maximum penalty. However, Brig.-Gen. Buhari imposed a ten-year prison sentence under Section 140(3) of the same Act, considering mitigating arguments [1].
The GCM verdicts are subject to confirmation by the military's appropriate confirming authority. It is crucial to note that these sentences do not necessarily reflect the values of the Nigerian Army and the institution consistently strives to maintain discipline, ethics, and professionalism within its ranks. This was reiterated by the Acting Deputy Director of 82 Division Army Public Relations, Lt.-Col. Jonah Unuakhulu [1].
Insights:
- The Armed Forces Act, Cap A20, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (LFN) 2004 outlines the legal framework for trials and sentences within the Nigerian military.
- The confirmation process requires a thorough review of the trial proceedings to ensure adherence to military and legal standards.
- The sentencing process includes the verdict pronouncement, consideration by a confirming authority, and potential further legal processes or appeals.
- The verdicts of the General Court Martial (GCM) in Nigeria, as shown in the recent case involving Private Adamu Mohammed and Private Abubakar Yusuf, are subject to confirmation by the military's appropriate confirming authority.
- The Armed Forces Act, Cap A20, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (LFN) 2004, serves as the legal framework for trials and sentencing within the Nigerian military.
- In the case of Private Adamu Mohammed, he was sentenced to death by hanging for the murder of his girlfriend, a verdict that adheres to Section 106(a) of the Armed Forces Act.
- The sentencing process for military personnel includes the evaluation of evidence, the suspect's service record, and calls for leniency, as demonstrated in the case of Private Abubakar Yusuf who was sentenced to ten years in prison for robbery.
- The Nigerian Army strives to maintain discipline, ethics, and professionalism within its ranks, as emphasized by the Acting Deputy Director of 82 Division Army Public Relations, Lt.-Col. Jonah Unuakhulu.
- The sentencing of military personnel found guilty of offenses not triable summarily is a crucial aspect of war-and-conflicts, politics, general news, and crime-and-justice reporting in Naija (Nigeria).
