A general court martial at the Headquarters of 82 Division, Nigerian Army, Enugu, has sentenced a soldier, Adamu Mohammed, to death by hanging for murdering his girlfriend.

The statement, in a statement in Enugu on Tuesday, said that the sentence was handed down after due consideration for the offence of murder.

The court martial, composed of 11 members, was inaugurated by the General Officer Commanding, 82 Division, Nigerian Army, Maj.-Gen. Oluyemi Olatoye, on February 18, 2025.

The president of the court martial, Brig.-Gen. Sadisu Buhari, while delivering the judgment on Mohammed’s murder case, said he was found guilty of the offence of the murder of his girlfriend.

“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 court martial also sentenced another soldier, Abubakar Yusuf, for robbery at a mall within Enugu.

“However, due to 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,” the court martial’s president said.

He added that the findings and sentences pronounced for both soldiers remained subject to confirmation by the confirming authority, marking the conclusion of their trials.

The army reassured the public of its unwavering commitment to upholding the highest standards of ethics and professional conduct in the discharge of its duties.

(NAN)