The Nigerian Army has announced that two soldiers who assaulted a physically challenged man for wearing a military camouflage have been disciplined.
Army spokesperson, Brigadier-General Sani Usman, in a statement on Friday said Bature Samuel and Abdulazeez Usman, who were both corporals, have been demoted to privates and imprisoned for 21 days for the assault whose video clip went viral on social media.
Usman, a brigadier general, also said the army has reached out to the victim whose name was given as Chijoke Uraku.
“Sequel to the video clip of two soldiers maltreating a physically challenged man on the streets of Onitsha, Anambra State, last Tuesday, in line with our zero tolerance of infringement of human rights by troops, those involved; Corporal Bature Samuel and Corporal Abdulazeez Usman of 82 Provost Company, have been arrested, summarily tried based on 2 count charges and found guilty,” the statement said.
“Consequently, both have been sentenced to reduction in rank; from Corporal to Private Soldiers and 21 days Imprisonment with Hard Labour (IHL) respectively, which includes forfeiture of 21 days pay to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
“The Nigerian Army has also reached out to the victim of their unjustifiable assault, Chijoke Uraku (alias CJ), as widely reported by the media.
“We wish to reiterate our avowed determination to ensure that troops conduct themselves in the most orderly and professional manner at all times. Any act of indiscipline would not be tolerated.”
Uraku, from Ikwo in Ebonyi State, told journalists at a press briefing organised by the Army in Onitsha on Friday said that the only compensation he would accept from the military authorities was to be decorated as a colonel.
“I’m a commander at Egerton on the New Market Road Onitsha. I don’t want anything from you except full decoration as a colonel. I want you to give me the complete uniform to look like you people and that is the only thing that will make me happy,” he said.
He argued that he was not after the new clothes and the envelope the army offered him to assuage his pains.
To calm Uraku down, senior army officers humorously awarded him the title of a “colonel and commander of the Egerton command” with a promise to give him a military uniform later.
Uraku was said to have turned down an offer to take him to the hospital, saying he preferred alternative traditional treatment.
