Military Court Martial Sentences Soldier To Death Over Girlfriend’s Murder

A General Court Martial (GCM)sitting at the headquarters, 82 Division, Nigerian Army, Enugu, has sentenced a soldier, Private Adamu Mohammed, to death by hanging and another, Private Abubakar Yusuf, to 10 years imprisonment.

A statement by Lt. Col Jonah Unuakhalu, acting Deputy Director, 82 Division, Army Public Relations, said: “The sentences were handed down after due consideration of the offences of murder and robbery for which the soldiers stood trial.

“The GCM, composed of 11 members, you’d recall was inaugurated by the General Officer Commanding, 82 Division, Nigerian Army, Major General Oluyemi Olatoye, on February 18, 2025, to try erring personnel within the division for various offences, which could not be disposed of summarily.

“The President of the GCM, Brigadier General Sadisu Buhari, while delivering the judgment on the first accused, Private Adamu Mohammed, stated that he was found guilty of the offence of the murder of his girlfriend, Miss Hauwa Ali, an offence punishable under Section 106 (a) of the Armed Forces Act, Cap A20 LFN 2004.”

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

However, the President of the GCM noted, that in the interest of societal decorum and justice for the deceased, the law had to be applied to its fullest.

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

Relatedly, the General Court Martial equally sentenced another soldier, Private Abubakar Yusuf, to 10 years imprisonment for robbery at a mall within Enugu.