Navy Dismisses Ex-Seaman Abbas Haruna for Multiple Offenses

The Navy has dismissed ex-seaman Abbas Haruna following his involvement in several military offenses. Discover the details surrounding his dismissal.

The Defence Headquarters announced the sentence of former seaman Abbas Haruna, who was found guilty of multiple charges including insubordination, resisting arrest and misuse of public property.

His conviction was the result of a thorough trial by a military tribunal which ultimately resulted in his demotion in rank and dishonourable discharge.

The Director of Defence Intelligence, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, made the announcement at a press conference at the Defence Headquarters, Abuja, on Wednesday, October 2, 2024. According to the press conference, Haruna, identified by his service number N-5759, violated key provisions of the Law of the Federation, CAF 820 of 2004, which governs the conduct of military personnel.

The charges against Haruna stem from an incident during a parade at the Iyamu Akpatuma Training Coordination Conference.

Haruna reportedly interrupted his commander’s speech and ignored orders to cease action. His insubordination escalated further when he resisted arrest and recklessly fired 16 rounds of ammunition, endangering the lives of his colleagues.

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This serious violation of military discipline led to an immediate investigation and Haruna was immediately recommended for trial by a military tribunal. The trial, which lasted from December 20, 2022 to February 7, 2023, resulted in his verdict of guilty on all charges.

The court found Haruna guilty of violating Articles 56(1), 86(1) and 66(C) of the Military Law relating to disobedience to orders, resisting lawful arrest and unauthorized use of public property.

As a result, Haruna was demoted from seaman to sailor in Case 1 and discharged in Cases 2 and 3, effective February 7, 2023.

During her trial, Haruna was represented by defense attorneys Chuku N. Augustine and Goji Esquire. Haruna initially pleaded not guilty but later changed her plea to guilty, and the trial proceedings were adjusted.

Despite her guilty plea, the prosecution presented compelling evidence, including witness statements and exhibits, in support of the charges.

Brigadier Gusau stressed that the evidence was clear and irrefutable. “The court martial found the former sailor guilty of all charges. His criminal acts, namely insubordination, resisting lawful arrest and misuse of public property, have been proven beyond reasonable doubt,” he said.

Following his conviction, Haruna was detained in Magadishu State with his family granted visiting rights. His sentence was confirmed by the Chief of Naval Staff on 19 September 2024.

This incident demonstrates that high standards of discipline are applied in the Nigerian Army and any violations will be dealt with swiftly and severely to safeguard the integrity of the service.