PHOTOS: Army dismisses two soldiers for killing Islamic cleric

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.

The acting Commanding Officer of the 241 RECCE Battalion, Nguru, Yobe State, Lt. Col. Ibrahim Osabo, disclosed this to newsmen shortly after the suspects were de-kited in Nguru.

The suspects were reduced from Lance Corporal to private soldiers before they were dismissed.

“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 military police investigation together with the Nigerian Police.

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

He added that the dismissed soldiers would be handed to the Nigeria Police Force 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 They no longer represent Nigerian Army,” he added.

The Commanding Officer condemned their actions, saying it was not a true reflection of the Nigerian Army personnel.

The Yobe State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Dungus Abdulkarim, on Tuesday, announced that police operatives apprehended the suspects in connection with the Sheik’s murder on August 16.

The Star