Army dismisses soldiers linked to killing of Islamic cleric, hands over to police for prosecution

The 241 RECCE Battalion of the Nigerian Army on Saturday dismissed John Gabriel and Lance Cpl Adamu Gideon who allegedly killed an Islamic scholar, Sheikh Goni Aisami, in Yobe State.

Lt. Col. Ibrahim Osabo, Ag Commanding Officer of the Battalion, Nguru, Yobe, after the suspects were de-kited in Nguru, stated: “You are all aware of what happened a week ago where the two service personnel of this unit went out and committed atrocity and the Nigerian Police personnel arrested them.

“Thanks to Almighty Allah we are able to do the needful. We initiated a military police investigation together with the Nigerian Police.

“The outcome of the investigation gave us the latitude to sanction the suspects accordingly and they are now officially dismissed from the Nigerian Army.”

He added that the dismissed men would be handed officially to the Nigeria Police to face civil prosecution.

“We are taking them to our Sector Headquarters in Damaturu, the Sector Commander will then officially hand them over to the Nigeria Police to face civil prosecution. They no longer represent the Nigerian Army,” he said.

The Commanding Officer noted that their action is not a true reflection of the Nigerian Army personnel.

He declared: “I want to assure you that we are law abiding citizens and we are ready to dispense justice on anybody who is found wanting, irrespective of position or rank.”

The Police Public Relations Officer of the Yobe State Command, DSP Dungus Abdulkarim, had on Tuesday announced the arrest of the two soldiers over the killing of the Sheik in the state.