10th August, 2015
The Nigerian Army said on Monday that it will punish soldiers involved in maltreatment of an armed robbery suspect in Mararraba, a suburb few kilometres to Abuja main city as depicted in a photograph published in today’s edition of Daily Trust.
The Abuja based newspaper had published a front page photograph of some soldiers maltreating a suspected robber at Mararraba, Nasarawa State, on the front page of today’s edition of the newspaper.
“There is no doubt the photograph has done incalculable damage to the image of the service,” Shehu Usman, spokesman for the Nigerian Army said in a statement.
“The act was unfortunate and at variance with military ethics and professionalism. 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 judgement by giving this misdemeanour 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,” Usman said in the statement.