Kingsley Omonobi

Abuja—Determined to ensure discipline in the force which the present Chief of Army staff has adopted as one of his cardinal policies, the Nigerian Army, yesterday, said it had identified and summoned some of its soldiers who were caught on camera maltreating a suspected armed robber at the Mararraba area of the FCT for disciplinary action.

“The act was unfortunate and at variance with military ethics and professionalism,” Army spokesman, Col. Sani Usman, said in a statement.

The statement read: “The attention of Nigerian Army has been drawn to a photograph of some soldiers maltreating a suspected robber at Mararraba, Nasarawa State, on the front page of  Monday’s edition of a national newspaper.

“Sadly, it is also trending on the social media.”

“There is no doubt the photograph has done incalculable damage to the image of the service.

“The Nigerian Army wishes to inform the public that the perpetrators of the offence have been identified, summoned and would face disciplinary action.

“The Army has also reached out to the management of the newspaper over this poor and worrisome editorial judgment by giving this misdemeanor prominence in their paper.

“Alerting appropriate Nigerian Army authorities would have been a better option that will be met with prompt response.

“We wish to assure the public that the Nigerian Army would continue to protect and respect human rights and that this regrettable incidence should not be used as a yardstick to judge the entire Army” Col. Usman said.