Despite presidential pardon read what happened to 98 dismissed soldiers

– 98 soldiers dismissed under the Nigerian Army’s ‘Operation Zaman Lafiya’ have been allegedly denied reinstatement 

– President Muhammadu Buhari had directed the reinstatement of the 98 soldiers via a memo

– The soldiers were dismissed in 2015 for losing ammunition to the Boko Haram insurgents in Cameroon region

Ninety-eight soldiers dismissed under the Nigerian Army’s ‘Operation Zaman Lafiya’ stormed the office of the correspondents chapel of Nigeria Union of Journalists, Kaduna on Thursday, February 25, to demand to be reinstated despite a presidential order to that effect.

According to Leadership, the 98 are part of the 4000 soldiers, whose reinstatement was directed by President Muhammadu Buahri via a memo with reference number NA/COAS/GI/7/1 dated July 30, 2015 while setting up a committee to screen and assess all cases of dismissal from Operation Zaman Lafiya.

READ ALSO: Why Nigerian Army dismissed 250 soldiers

The soldiers want the army authorities to obey the president’s directive that all the soldiers dismissed in 2015 for losing ammunition to the Boko Haram insurgents in Cameroon region, be reinstated.

The soldiers who spoke through warrant officer, Shehu Ibrahim said the army committee met in Jaji,  Kaduna, scrutinised and declared them qualified to be reinstated, but they were yet to be absolved.

The aggrieved soldiers said the General Officer Commanding ( GOC ), 1 Division Nigerian Army, Kaduna,  Major General Adeniyi Oyebade, at a point drafted an army officer to investigate their matter, which he did.

According to Naija Lumia, Ibrahim further stated: “We were not involved in any misconduct or offence, neither were we charged with any offence after our reinstatement and while in Kontagora, as our list was compiled by HQ NATRAC attests to this fact. Thus we feel punished for no offence whatsoever.

This case has lingered long beyond reasonable time, since October 2015, without solution and making us as humans to be impatient, as no one seems to attend to us anymore.

The right time, as it is said, for any event is always the suitable and appropriate time. Therefore we are acting promptly as this is the right time to act while the Operation Zaman Lafiya dismissed soldiers reinstatement and posting process still tarries.”

READ ALSO: Nigerian army says dismissed soldiers are unpatriotic

However, when the Army assistant director, public relations officer, Colonel  Usman Abdul was contacted, he said it is only the army headquarters, located in  Abuja, that can officially comment on the issue.

In another development, the Nigerian army has accused some soldiers of being unpatriotic in the ongoing fight against the Boko Haram insurgency.

2,023 soldiers were reportedly dismissed by the Nigerian army for mutiny but were later reinstated by Tukur Buratai, the chief of army staff.

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