Following the video that had gone viral in the social media where two soldiers were assaulting a physically challenged person for wearing a military camouflage shorts on Wednesday, February 7, 2017 at Egerton Street, Old Market road Onitsha, Anambra state.
The Nigerian Army while condemning the action, insists that the military as a disciplined, professionally and morally sound organization would not condone indiscipline or encourage professional misconduct which has no place for human rights violation.
Addressing the media at 302 Artillery Regiment, Onitsha, where the two soldiers were serving, the representative of the General Officer Commanding of the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, Enugu, Colonel Sagir Musa, alongside the Commandant of the 302 Artillery General Support Regiment, Onitsha, Colonel Ayu Akpan, comforted the victim, Mr. Chijioke Uratu, with some gift item and assured that maximum and commensurate sanction would be applied to the erring soldiers to serve as an example to others.
While the sincerity and professionalism of the Nigerian Army played out in genuinely showing concern and condemning the ugly incident, the discipline and intelligence of the erring soldiers were under serious doubt considering both the physical and mental status of the victim.
This was vividly captured during a reconciliation meeting between the victim, Mr. Chijioke Oraku, a native of Ikwo in Ebonyi state, and the representative of the General Officer Commanding , 82 Division of Nigerian Army, Enugu, who is also the Deputy Director of Information, Colonel Sagir Musa, and the Commandant of 302 Artillery Regiment, Onitsha, Colonel Ayu Akpan, at the Onitsha barracks when the senior officers briefed the family of the victim and newsmen of the incident and then condemned, in strong terms, the public misconduct of the soldiers.
“Human rights violation in the Army is something that the leadership at the highest level and all levels of Nigerian Army leadership, do take very seriously.
The leadership frowns at it, they don’t condone it, they don’t encourage it, and wherever it happens we apply maximum sanction commensurate with the offence committed.
This case is not going to be an exception. Already those who perpetrated this act have been identified, were arrested, were tried by the Commanding Officer, Colonel Ayu Akpan here by my left, and because of the seriousness of the offence committed they were referred to higher authority for disciplinary or administrative action.
“With what happened the Nigerian Army is fully concerned about it and we want to assure members of the public, particularly Nigerians and the International Community that it is against our core values, particularly, that of respect for others and peaceful co-existence.
“This case has violated fundamentally our most cherished core values, it is a fundamental value that the Nigerian Army has cherished and all our leadership particularly under the current dispensation of Lieutenant General Turkur Buratai, whom always preaching to troops wherever they go on the issue of respect for the right of others.
Those soldiers, their attitude does not sincerely reflect the attitude of contemporary Nigerian Army Soldier under the command of Lieutenant General Yusuf Turkur Buratai.
His counterpart and Commander of the 302 Artillery Regiment also frowned at the incident insisting that the attitude does not reflect the core values of the Nigerian Army and that the culprits have been fished out, tried and due to the seriousness of the offence, they have been transferred the matter to a higher authority.
“I want to state also that what happened on February, 7, 2017, does not in any way establish procedures which the Nigerian Army uses to approach issues that concern our relationship with the members of the public.
“What those soldiers did was quite regrettable and that is why the response from the Nigerian Army has been quite firm.
“You have already been informed that appropriate military disciplinary action has already been instituted against the perpetrators of the crime, and I want to assure you that the entire officers and soldiers of this Onitsha Cantonment stand firmly with the public and the entire citizens of Anambra state.”
At the event also was the representative of the State Government and Commissioner for Social Welfare, Women and Children and Affairs, Mrs. Victoria Chikwelu. While expressing the shock over the incident said the governor had assured of taking over the welfare of the victim as soon as the Nigerian Army was done with their own side.
“The governor was really shocked on how somebody can handle a person in this condition because he is a person that has passion for the welfare of the physically challenged.
For the past two years in office, he has done a lot for them. He is the first governor that appointed a disabled person, a vision impaired young man to be his Senior Adviser on people with disabilities.
“My governor believes in the Nigerian Army and the disciplinary action taken, he sent me here to see you people and to appreciate the steps taken.
The Anambra govt says it will take responsibility of the welfare of the victim.
The Nigeria Army also gave the victim some gifts which includes financial token, clothes and caps, maintaining that it was not compensation but a gesture to show him that they condemn the action meted on him.