Nigeria Army Court-martials General  For Stealing

By Adesina Soyooye

Major General Umar Muazu Mohammed had a good, flourishing career in the Nigeria Army, until he was posted to the Nigeria Army Properties Ltd as its Group Managing Director/Executive Vice Chairman.

It is this posting that has landed him in trouble. He has not only lost the high profile job, but he has disgracefully been sent out of the Army. He faced humiliations too.

On the day of his appearance before the Court Martial, he came in a wheelchair, given the impression that he would be unable to stand for the trial.  But the Chairman of the Court ordered him to keep standing insisting he was fit and strong to stand.

Now, the General has been found guilty by a Special Court Martial set up by the Army of stealing. He has been court-martialled. He was hauled before the Court

for stealing the sum $1,476,200, N74million.

Out of the l 18 count charges against him which  all run contrary to service laws, he was found guilty of 14 of them. The charges against him include stealing, forgery, conspiracy, theft, and unauthorized diversion of Army property among others.

Part of the charges was that he  collected the sum of $1.045,400 paid by shipping companies for the use of Nigerian Army Jetty located at no 6 Marina, Victoria Island, Lagos.

He was found guilty of Stealing the sum of $430.800 “being monies paid into Nigerian Army Domiciliary account at Unity Bank, Abuja for use of Nigerian Army Jetty, Marina, VI, Lagos”

Major Gen Mohammed was, also, found guilty of withdrawing and confiscating the sum of N74million out of N75million paid for a property belonging to the Nigerian Army at Ikoyi, Lagos.

He was, however, exonerated on allegations of selling Army property worth N200million in Lagos and stealing the sum of another N750million out of the sum of N2.5billion secured from banks as well as contribution from subscribers for a Army housing estate in Asokoro, Abuja

He was, also, exonerated from charges of “forging a Deed of Agreement document pursuant to confiscating another Army property in Lagos.”

Major General Kames Myam was the President of the Special Court Martial which had seven (7) other Major Generals as members. A Brigadier- General was the Judge Advocate. Its sentences for the accused will be read  next week.

He is, however, entitled to appeal.