The Acting General Officer Commanding 7 Division Nigerian Army, Brigadier General VU Ezegwu Wednesday 10th August 2016, inaugurated a General Court Martial (GCM) in Maiduguri.
The Court was inaugurated to dispense all pending disciplinary cases that occurred in the Theatre of Operation LAFIYA DOLE particularly cases that could not be tried summarily. A total number of 20 military personnel including 4 officers (2 Majors and 2 Captains) and 16 others comprising 1 Staff Sergeant, 2 Sergeants, 2 Corporals, 3 Lance Corporals, 7 Privates soldiers and a Naval Sea Man are to undergo trial for different offences. The nature of the offences include murder, loss of arms, defilement, assault occasioning to bodily harm and desertion, amongst others.
The President of the Court is Brigadier General Olusegun Adeniyi. In his remarks after the inauguration, he promised to be fair to all the accused persons as they are presumed innocent until proven otherwise.
He reiterated that the court will hasten its proceedings as justice delayed is justice denied. Below is the text of his inaugural speech and photographs at the occasion.
This GCM is therefore convened to try a total of 4 officers and 16 other ranks of the Nigerian Army who have committed various offences within the Theatre of Operation LAFIYA DOLE. It must be stated at this juncture that one of the aims of a Court Martial is to achieve timely and quick dispensation of justice within the framework provided in relevant statute books, the Army said.
