3 soldiers jailed for illegal firearm possession

Three soldiers with the Operation Lafiya Dole were yesterday sentenced to 33 years in prison for unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition by a General Court Marshal.

The court that sat in 7-Division Garrison Pompomari, Maiduguri, Borno State sentenced two soldiers serving in the Operation Lafiya Dole to 23 years.

Army Spokesman at the Division, Lt. Col. Kingsley Samuel, said in a statement yesterday that the convicts: Trooper Eric Nwokere and Trooper Macaulay Fortune at the time of the arrest were in possession of 5-empty-AK-47-rifle magazines and 20,136 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition at Jumputu Motor Park, Jimeta, Yola, Adamawa State, while boarding a commercial vehicle to an unknown destination.

He said, "Another soldier, Corporal Garba Saidu, was also sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for unlawful possession of ammunition. The soldier was arrested and charged for illegal possession of 2,800 rounds of 7.2mm (Special) ammunition. “He was arrested after discovering the ammunition hidden in a poultry farm near Tipper Garage in Maiduguri metropolis. The farm is said to belong to a serving Nigerian policeman.”

The statement said the President of the General Court Marshal Lt Col Adamu Hassan said the decision of the court was arrived at after close of submissions by both the prosecution and defense counsels. He said the prosecution had proven the case beyond reasonable doubt in line with the burden of proof on the prosecutor.