Sack The Soldiers Now!

"A nation's greatness is measured by how it treats its weakest members."-Mahatma Ghandi

Does Nigeria’s military uniform worth anything? Does the military have any regard to their uniform? I guess that they don’t, for if they do, they ought not to have demoted the soldiers who brutalized a physically challenged man on a wheelchair, Chijioke Oratu, in Onitsha, the commercial capital of Anambra State, but sack them.

Recall that recently, Chijioke Oratu, crippled in both legs, was viciously beaten and kicked by two armed soldiers after being dragged off his wheel chair, as shocked onlookers stood by helplessly. When I saw the repulsive video that eventually went viral, I posted on my wall and elsewhere that it was not enough to condemn the wicked act, but that anyone who has conscience should share the video until the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Tukur Buratai sees it and punishes the culprits.
The video did not only go viral, it sparked outrage that the army took notice. In response the Nigerian Army announced last week that the assailants had been identified and arrested. Spokesperson Sani Usman, a Brigadier General, said in a statement that the culprits, Bature Samuel and Abdulazeez Usman, who were both corporals, had been demoted to privates and imprisoned for 21 days with hard labour. They are to also forfeit their pay for the 21 days. I was disappointed by the army. It showed that lessons have not been learnt by the catalogue of human rights violations by the army and documented by the Amnesty International over the years. Those that use their military uniform as cover to brutalize ordinary Nigerians are unworthy of the uniform.

In the case of the Ebonyi State born, Chijioke Oratu, for every second that they lifted the helpless man and tossed him around like a piece of trash, all because of the alleged illegal wearing of military camouflage, they desecrated the uniform of the Nigerian Army and unworthy to wear the uniform. The brutality of the soldiers showed that they did not give a damn if their victim lives or dies. With the bestiality exhibited by the soldiers against a cripple, they have lost every right to be considered worthy of wearing Nigerian Army uniform bought with tax payers money. Their action was certainly disproportionate with the ‘offence’.

As I write I was restrained from thinking like a friend of mine who said that the reason the two soldiers was so brutal against Oratu, was because he is Igbo or a member of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). My friend said they wanted to give him the ‘IPOB treatment’ that the Nigerian army was notorious for and documented by the Amnesty International Reports. Over the years I have observed that Nigerian army does not discriminate in their brutality against civilians who offend them on the basis of tribe or religion.

I have watched Aljazeera YouTube report that showed how Nigerian soldiers allegedly killed hundreds of cripples, beggars and others without mercy when they attacked members of the Boko Haram sect in Northern Nigeria, when Boko Haram leader, Mohammed Yusuf was alive. The cripples are not members of Boko Haram but they are said to flock around Mohammed Yusuf and his followers to beg for a living, but when the soldiers came they made no distinction between the good and the bad guys. The Nigerian army then denied the report. Aljazeera stood by its story.

Chijioke Oratu’s brutalization should mark the red line for our uniform officials, and only punitive punishment, like being kicked out of the military can prevent a reoccurrence. I am therefore in sync with the governor of Ebonyi State, Engr. David Umeahi in this matter. David Umahi has demanded the immediate sack and prosecution of the two soldiers who assaulted Chijioke Oratu. I want to thank him for this stand and for empowering the victim with N500,000. I thank him also for directing his Senior Special Adviser on Welfare and Religious matters to liaise with the victim and his family on the best way to resettle him. I rest my case.