Court sentences soldier to 28 years imprisonment for stealing ammunition, AK-47 rifle

By Biola Adebayo On May 25, 2024

Court, soldier , imprisonment for stealing, ammunition, AK-47 rifle — Court sentences soldier to 28 years imprisonment for stealing ammunition, AK-47 rifle

The 3rd Division General Court Martial, Nigerian Army, has sentenced a warrant officer, Danladi Shaggy, to 28 years imprisonment and dismissed him alongside five others for various infraction offences, while two others were equally sanctioned.

Delivering his judgment on Friday at the Maxwell Khobe Cantonment Jos, Plateau State, the President of the Court, Brigadier General Liafis Bello, said the eight sentenced were either dismissed, demoted, or reprimanded for offences such as theft, selling of arms and ammunition, intimidation, and cheating, among other offences.

While convicting the warrant officer, the Chairman of the Court Martial said the officer was sentenced for stealing 3,870 rounds of 7.26 mm ammunition and one AK-47 rifle and was therefore sentenced to 363 months imprisonment, which is equivalent to 28 years.

According to him, Shaggy was equally dismissed from service and also demoted from the rank of warrant officer to private, adding that the accused will restitute the sum of N5,035, 000 being the money he sold the ammunition.

The seven others found guilty: Lance Corporal Suleiman Hassan, Private Oluwaseyi Williams, Lance Corporal Abraham Samson, Sergeant Ibrahim Salihu, Sergeant Musa Ibrahim, Sergeant Nicholas Josephat, and Corporal Isa Ibrahim, were dismissed, demoted, and reprimanded accordingly.

The President of the Court Martial, Brigadier General Bello, said the Court was convened under the provisions of the 1999 Constitution as amended, the Armed Forces Act (Rules and Procedures) 1972, and other existing laws.

General Bello pointed out that the Court found the convicted soldiers guilty of the offences, having diligently considered all the allegations brought before it against the accused.

The Court Martial was convened early this year by the General Officer Commanding the 3rd Armoured Division of the Nigerian Army, Major General Abdulsalam Abubakar.