Acts of indiscipline among bad eggs of the Nigerian armed forces emerged, once again, last week when soldiers of the Nigerian Army School of Military Engineering (NASME) in Makurdi, Benue State, were reported in the media as taking the law into their hands, invading a suburb of the city and allegedly committing various acts of heinous crimes.
According to reports, no less than 200 enraged soldiers allegedly angry that a young lady that one of them was courting was given out in marriage to another man, took to vandalizing cars and houses, stealing phone handsets, TV, radio and other personal effects of residents. The rampaging soldiers who were reported to have raped some women, also brutalised a Divisional Police Officer identified as Samuel Attah, destroying his vehicle in the process.
This outrageous, stranger-than-fiction story was confirmed when the Governor of Benue State, Mr Samuel Ortom, after visiting the damaged community, pledged to ensure that no soldier who participated in the rampage would go unpunished.
While we appreciate the heroic exploits of our troops in their valiant efforts to protect the citizens from the evildoers, especially the Boko Haram Islamic terrorists seeking to destabilise our country, we are saddened by this frequent outbreak of indiscipline among some of their misguided members who mobilise their colleagues to prey on defenceless civilians at the slightest provocation. This is very unbecoming of members of the armed forces of a civilised, modern country that wants to be taken seriously in today’s comity of nations. It is even more so that such umbrage will be visited on civilians over such a puny issue in which the enraged soldier had no legitimate claim. Even if he did, there are laid down avenues to express grievances and settle matters amicably.
It is gratifying to note that the military authorities have taken proactive steps to bring the erring soldiers to book as some of the suspects were already reported to have been arrested. Those found culpable should be made to face the wrath of the law, while the federal and state governments should take steps to compensate the people unjustly victimised.
The armed forces must be properly oriented to the fact that as the defenders of our country and its citizens, they belong to the people and are being maintained with public and taxpayers’ money. They are in no way above the law. They must comport themselves according to the dictates of their profession and thus earn the respect and esteem of the public, which is necessary for them to carry out their challenging duties with distinction.
The authorities must take steps to ensure that such an unfortunate episode never repeats itself ever again.
Vanguard
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