Army sentences soldier to death for killing girlfriend in Enugu

Amah-Ugbor Samuel Nnachi,
South-East Editor/Bureau Chief

A General Court Martial sitting at the Headquarters of 82 Division, Nigerian Army, Enugu, has sentenced a soldier, Adamu Mohammed, a private, to death by hanging for murdering his girlfriend.

The acting Deputy Director of 82 Division Army Public Relations, Jonah Unuakhalu, a lieutenant colonel, in a statement in Enugu on Tuesday, said that the sentence was handed down after due consideration for the offence of murder.

The GCM, composed of 11 members, was inaugurated by the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 82 Division, Nigerian Army, Oluyemi Olatoye, a major general, on 18 February 2025.

The President of the GCM, Sadisu Buhari, while delivering the judgment on Mohammed’s murder case, said that he was found guilty of the offence of the murder of his girlfriend.

Mr. Buhari, a brigadier general, said that it is an offence punishable under Section 106 (a) of the Armed Forces Act, Cap A20 LFN 2004.

The unanimous judgment the president of the GCM explained, was arrived at after a careful review of facts, the career and service record of the soldier, and the compassionate plea for mitigation presented by the accused and his counsel.

“Given this, the GCM has determined that the accused soldier, 21NA/80/6365 Pte Adamu Mohammed, is hereby sentenced to death by hanging for the charge of murder,” Mr Buhari said.

The GCM also sentenced another soldier, Abubakar Yusuf, also a private, to 10 years imprisonment for robbery at a mall within Enugu.

The president held that the panel found Mr Yusuf guilty of robbery, punishable under Section 107(1)(b) of the Armed Forces Act, Cap A20 LFN 2004.

“Although the court attentively considered the plea for mitigation presented by the accused and his counsel for leniency, the law was applied to uphold societal decorum and protect the reputation of the army.

“However, due to the inability of the GCM to reach a unanimous decision required to impose maximum mandatory punishment prescribed under Section 107(2) of the Armed Forces Act, Cap A20 LFN 2004, the GCM, relying on provisions of Section 140 (3) of the Armed Forces Act.

“The court, hereby, sentences the accused soldier, 23NA/85/12116 Pte Abubakar Yusuf, to 10 years imprisonment,” Mr Buhari said.