The Killing Of Islamic Cleric, Sheik Goni Aisami-Army Dismisses Soldiers

John Gabriel and Gideon Adamu, the soldiers implicated in the killing of popular Yobe Islamic cleric, Goni Aisami were dismissed by the Nigerian Army on Saturday.

                                            Sheik Goni Aisami 

The dismissal of the soldiers was announced at an event held at the 241 RECCE Battalion Nguru, where the soldiers were serving by the Acting General Commanding Officer 241 RECCE Battalion, Lieutenant Colonel I O Sabo.

Lt Col I O Sabo told journalists that the action of the soldiers did not reflect the image of the Armed Forces of Nigeria. His statement below;

“Good afternoon gentlemen. You are welcome to join the 24i RECCE Battalion Nugu. My name is Lt. Col. I O Sabo, the Acting Commanding General Officer.

"You are all aware of what happened a week ago when our service personnel of this unit went out to commit atrocities where the Nigeria police arrested them.

"Thanks to Almighty Allah that we were able to do what is needful. The first phase of what we did was to initiate a military police investigation and the report gave us the latitude to sanction them based on the sections of Armed Forces laws.

"Obviously, these men can never represent us. We are being paid by the Nigerian taxpayers’ money to hold guns and defend this country but these soldiers were not the true reflection of the Nigerian Army personnel. We want to assure you that we are law-abiding citizens and we want to dispense justice. If I am found wanting like these men, the same thing will happen to me.

“What you are seeing is the ‘dekitting’ of these soldiers. We will collect all military belongings in their care and even send their families packing out of this place,” Lieutenant Colonel I O Sabo said.

Mr Gabriel confessed to killing Mr Aisami on 19 August 2022 while trying to steal his car. The cleric had given him a lift from a military checkpoint where he was stationed.

Following the soldiers dismissal, they will be handed over to the police to be prosecuted for their alleged crime. Their civil trial will begin in earnest.

Lt Col I O Sabo noted that the soldiers would be handed over to the police at Damaturu, the capital of Yobe State, by the Sector II headquarter, for civil prosecution of the army.