Boko Haram: Soldier who criticized Buhari to be court-martialed

Lance Corporal, Idakpini Martins, has been transferred by the Nigerian Army from Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja to Sokoto State to face a court-martial.

This comes after Mr. Martin in a viral video criticised the Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai’s handling of the Boko Haram crisis.

The transfer was confirmed by the soldier’s lawyer, Tope Akinyode, who told Premium Times.

A senior army officer who asked not to be named also confirmed the transfer saying the army did so because Mr Martins committed his ‘offence in Sokoto’.

The source also said the soldier will likely face the court-martial on Monday Premium Times reports.

The lance corporal was apprehended on June 20 following the video he released online condemning Mr Buratai and President Muhammadu Buhari over alleged failure to provide adequate resources to soldiers combating Boko Haram.

He was detained in Abuja and denied legal representation for a month until Mr Akinyode, a rights lawyer, approached a Federal High Court, Abuja to file a rights violation lawsuit.

On July 22, Justice A. I. Chikere granted Mr Martins access to his lawyer and relative. He said the Nigerian Army’s action is against the fundamental human rights of citizens.

Despite the court order, Premium Times reported that the army on several occasions refused to obey, hence, denying Mr Martins the right to see his lawyer and families.

On Saturday, Mr Akinyode told correspondent that Mr Martins would be tried before a court-martial in Sokoto on Monday.

He alleged that the army “is forcing a lawyer from within the military on Lance Corporal Martins in a desperate attempt to jeopardize the case and wrongly convict the detained soldier.”

Lieutenant-General, Tukur Buratai – CAS “Lance Corporal Martins has been brutalized and subjected to a great deal of dehumanizing treatment. He was also denied food and has therefore developed Ulcer,” he told Premium Times.

Although soldiers considered to have violated army rules can be subjected to a court-martial, they have the right to choose their own lawyers including from outside the army.

The Boko Haram insurgency has continued, largely in North-east Nigeria, since 2009.

Tens of thousands of people have been killed and millions displaced due to the insurgency.

Many Nigerian soldiers including the army hierarchy have blamed insufficient fighting equipment as one of the reasons the terrorists have not been defeated.

President Buhari has also acknowledged the lack of adequate weapons to defeat the terrorists and recently said his government was getting new weapons from Jordan, China and the U.S.