12 Nigerian Soldiers Sentenced To Death For Mutiny Kept In Underground Cell In Lagos About To Die – Falana

Sunday May 17, 2015 – 12 Nigerian Soldiers
Sentenced To Death For Mutiny Starving, About
To Die Of Hunger Inside Lagos Underground
Military Cell – Falana
Nigerian Soldiers Sentenced To Death For Mutiny
Kept In Underground Military Cell In Lagos About
To Die Of Starvation & Hunger – Falana
Popular Human Rights lawyer, Femi Falana
yesterday said that the twelve soldiers
condemned to death for refusing to fight Boko
Haram last year September are about about to
die inside the underground cell they’re being kept
in Lagos State.
In an exclusive chat with Sahara, Falana said the
military has denied them right to appeal their
convictions.
He said the convicts last ate food more than 7
days ago.
In his words;
“I am in touch with them (the soldiers) and I am
taking up their basic complaints, which is that they
are currently being starved and dehumanised by the
military authorities that are supposed to have taken
them to the jailhouse, having convicted them. But
they are being kept in an underground cell
somewhere in Lagos.
“Under the Armed Forces Act, soldiers who are
convicted and sentenced by the court martial are
entitled to appeal to the Court of Appeal after the
authorities might have confirmed the sentences. In
this particular instance, these 12 soldiers are among
66 that have been convicted and sentenced to death.
“The Chief of Army Staff ought to have confirmed the
sentences since November (2015) in the case of the
12. And in the case of the 54 others, it should have
been February, since they were convicted in
December (2014). In other words, confirmation or
review should take place less than two months after
conviction.”
“The soldiers did not commit mutiny. They were
asking for weapons to fight Boko Haram and Section
217 of the Nigerian Constitution says the government
of Nigeria shall equip them adequately. In this case,
the government failed in its responsibility to equip
the army and simply asked these boys to commit
suicide,”.
Why is the Command in chief himself, Goodluck
Jonathan refusing to intervene in this matter.
The Boko Haram allies inside the military are
seeking to kill these brave heroes because they
have seen their secrets.
God please watch over them.