John Gabriel and Lance Cpl Adamu Gideon attached to the 241 RECCE Battalion of the Nigerian Army were on Saturday dismissed over their alleged killing of an Islamic scholar, Sheikh Goni Aisami, in Yobe.
Lt. Col. Ibrahim Osabo, Ag Commanding Officer (CO) of the Battalion, Nguru, Yobe State, disclosed this to journalists shortly after the suspects were de-kitted in Nguru.
The suspects were reduced from Lance Corporal to private soldiers before they were dismissed.
Said Osabo: “You are all aware of what happened a week ago where the two service personnel of this unit went out and committed atrocity and the Nigerian Police personnel arrested them.
“Thanks to Almighty Allah we are able to do the needful. We initiated military police investigation together with the Nigerian Police.
“The outcome of the investigation gave us the latitude to sanction the suspects accordingly and they are now officially dismissed regiment from the Nigerian Army”.
He added that the dismissed men would be handed officially to the Nigeria Police to face civil prosecution.
Added the CO: “We are taking them to our Sector Headquarters in Damaturu, the Sector Commander will then officially hand them over to the Nigeria Police to face civil prosecution. They no longer represent Nigerian Army”.
The Commanding Officer who condemned their actions, said it was not a true reflection of the Nigerian Army personnel.
Stated he further: “I want to assure you that we are law-abiding citizens and we are ready to dispense justice on anybody who is found wanting, irrespective of position or rank”.
DSP Dungus Abdulkarim, the Police Command spokesperson, on Tuesday announced that police operatives apprehended the suspects in connection with the Sheik’s murder on August 16.
