No fewer than 227 members of the Nigerian Army from the 3rd Armoured Division, who were allegedly dismissed by the Military authorities, on Friday protested against their General Officer Commanding (GOC) asking for the intervention of President Goodluck Jonathan.

The protesting soldiers who stormed the Plateau State NUJ Secretariat in Jos with placards said they were unjustly dismissed without any known offence and without the benefit of fair hearing.

Sergeant Abiona Elisha, who is the leader of the protesting soldiers, , said, “We were dismissed this week Tuesday from the service of the Nigerian Army after sending us to go and suffer fighting insurgency in Adamawa, Yobe and Borno states.

No fewer than 227 members of the Nigerian Army from the 3rd Armoured Division, who were allegedly dismissed by the Military authorities, on Friday protested against their General Officer Commanding (GOC) asking for the intervention of President Goodluck Jonathan.

The protesting soldiers who stormed the Plateau State NUJ Secretariat in Jos with placards said they were unjustly dismissed without any known offence and without the benefit of fair hearing.

Sergeant Abiona Elisha, who is the leader of the protesting soldiers, , said, “We were dismissed this week Tuesday from the service of the Nigerian Army after sending us to go and suffer fighting insurgency in Adamawa, Yobe and Borno states.

“All of a sudden, we were recalled to the barracks and made to face trial. Even in the trial, we were not given the chance to defend ourselves. They just took decision and dismissed us. We were not even told what our offences were during the so-called trial.

“We are surprised that we can be treated like this in our own country. We were sent to fight insurgents without weapons. A lot of our colleagues were killed in the course of defending our fatherland. Even
those who are in hospitals treating injuries they sustained from battle fields were also dismissed while still on hospital admission.

“The worst situation is that families of our colleagues killed in Adamawa and Yobe are languishing in hunger as Nigerian Army refused to pay their entitlements. “So we are calling on President Goodluck Jonathan and Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. General Kenneth Minimah, to intervene in our case
and reinstate us”.

When Spokesman of the 3 Armoured Division Rukuba, Col. Texas Chukwu, was contacted, he said that “I am not aware of the development. I just returned from Yola on Tuesday. So I am not aware of anything. Thank you.”

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227 Soldiers Protest Dismissal by 3 Armored Division Rukuba