The Nigerian Army responded to a viral video showing soldiers protesting about overcrowding and inadequate food for detained soldiers at the 8 Division Garrison detention facility in Sokoto State.
A soldier named LCPL Charles Ekefure, with service No: 17NA/76/1660, was allegedly shot after complaints from detained soldiers who broke out of their guardrooms at the facility.
The incident took place on Thursday, May 9, at the 8 Division of the Nigerian Army in Sokoto during the soldiers’ demand for better food and living conditions, as reported by SaharaReporters.
In response to the incident, the Director of Army Public Relations, Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, declared that the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, has initiated a thorough investigation. The purpose is to ascertain whether the issue is isolated or widespread in similar detention facilities.
Nwachukwu conveyed this in a statement titled:
“Nigerian Army’s response to viral audio-visual footage of soldiers protesting overcrowded cells, poor feeding.
” He expressed disappointment over the incident, labeling it as unfortunate and a setback to the administration efforts of the Chief of Army Staff, contrary to his usual leadership approach.
The statement read in parts:
“The Army Headquarters has taken note of a report and audiovisual recording circulating on social media produced by some of its personnel held in custody at the 8 Division Garrison detention facility.
“Undoubtedly, the Sokoto barracks detention facility incident is quite unfortunate and an embarrassment to the sound administration efforts of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), to say the least, and in line with his leadership style, the COAS has instituted an appropriate investigation into the incident to determine whether it is an isolated or widespread situation in similar detention facilities.
“While the service regrets and has gleaned some lessons from the incident, it will however not condone the manner the inmates expressed their purported grievance. Mutiny and conduct prejudicial to service order are grievous misconducts and this very incident epitomises such.
“As such, as Army, on the one side, goes ahead to implement the COAS directive to look into the state of all NA detention facilities, as detainees’ lives also matter, the Service shall not shy away from appropriately sanctioning the soldiers involved in the unruly behaviour in its Sokoto detention facility for failing to exhaust all available options to channel their complaints to the appropriate authorities and if it was discovered they did and nothing was done, necessary administrative actions will be taken against anyone found to have failed to discharge his/her duties effectively.
“While the Service is mindful of its subjective oversight engagements by statutory bodies, it remains primarily a responsible, self-regulating professional body. As such, the Service remains committed to ensuring that everyone, even those found guilty of aiding terrorists, kidnappers, and bandits, and are awaiting confirmation of their sentencing, as it has been discovered in the Sokoto case is accorded a relatively decent life until their judgment is confirmed and executed.
“This commitment underscores the NA’s dedication to upholding professional standards and maintaining a just and fair system.
“The NA appreciates all Nigerians for their concern and support as well as pledge to remain focused on its drive to defeating security challenges facing the nation in conjunction with sister services and other security agencies.”
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