Military Court Sentences Soldier to Death for Girlfriend’s Murder, Another Gets 10 Years for Robbery in Enugu
A General Court Martial (GCM) convened at the headquarters of the 82 Division, Nigerian Army, Enugu, has sentenced a soldier, Private Adamu Mohammed, to death by hanging for the murder of his girlfriend, Miss Hauwa Ali. Another soldier, Private Abubakar Yusuf, was also convicted and sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for his involvement in a robbery incident at a shopping mall in Enugu.
The verdict was announced in a statement released by Lt. Col. Jonah Unuakhalu, the acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations for the 82 Division. The statement confirmed that the sentences were passed after thorough deliberations and legal proceedings which found the two soldiers guilty of the charges of murder and robbery respectively.
The General Court Martial, consisting of 11 members, was inaugurated on February 18, 2025, by the General Officer Commanding, Major General Oluyemi Olatoye, to prosecute personnel within the Division accused of serious offences that could not be handled summarily.
In the case of Private Adamu Mohammed, the President of the GCM, Brigadier General Sadisu Buhari, stated during the judgment that the accused was found guilty of the murder of Miss Hauwa Ali, an act punishable under Section 106 (a) of the Armed Forces Act, Cap A20 LFN 2004. The court considered the facts of the case, the soldier’s service record, and a plea for leniency, but ultimately concluded that the severity of the crime warranted the maximum punishment.
“In the interest of societal decorum and justice for the deceased, the law had to be applied to its fullest,” Brigadier General Buhari said, before pronouncing the sentence of death by hanging for Private Mohammed.
In a related development, Private Abubakar Yusuf was also found guilty of robbery and sentenced to 10 years imprisonment. His offence was linked to a robbery carried out at a mall within the city of Enugu.
The ruling underscores the Nigerian Army’s commitment to upholding discipline, justice, and accountability within its ranks, particularly in cases involving crimes against civilians.
