5th January 2016,
PRESS RELEASE:
66 CONVICTED SOLDIERS: MURIC
LAUNCHES ONLINE PETITION FOR PRESIDENTIAL PARDON
The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) today, Tuesday 5th January,
2016 launched an online campaign seeking presidential pardon for the 66 soldiers
who bagged ten years jail each after their death sentences had been commuted. The
online petition which was launched at ipetition reads:
PARDON THE 66 SOLDIERS
“William Shakespeare was right when he said, ‘"Some rise by sin and
some by virtue fall. Some run from brakes of vice and answer none while some
are convicted for a fault alone".
“66 Nigerian soldiers who had earlier been sentenced to death in
December 2014 had their sentences commuted to ten years imprisonment each in
December 2015 by the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai. We
thank the COAS for showing mercy on them.
“12 among the 66 soldiers committed a separate offence. They were accused
of making an attempt on the life of their commander. The remaining 54 were those who asked
to be properly armed before advancing on the enemy.
“Nigerians will recall that Nigerian soldiers were fleeing from Boko Haram
insurgents due to lack of adequate weaponry. It was after President Muhammadu
Buhari became president that he took steps to provide the necessary equipment
for the soldiers. The pendulum has since swung as Nigeria's gallant soldiers
have liberated territories hitherto occupied by the terrorists.
“The ongoing probe into allegations of diversion of huge funds meant for
the purchase of arms for the Nigerian military has opened the eyes of
Nigerians. They have seen how many corrupt politicians pocketed the funds
thereby causing the death of thousands of civilians and soldiers, the abduction
of over 200 Chibok girls and the destruction of the homes and properties of
thousands who have now been turned into internally displaced persons (IDPs) in
their own country.
“The
Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), now convinced that there was actually an acute
shortage of weaponry among soldiers fighting the insurgents and that some
callous and greedy politicians were responsible for the shortage, concluded
that meting out any punishment to the convicted soldiers is a miscarriage of
justice.
“Based
on this conclusion, MURIC hereby appeals to the good people of Nigeria to sign
a petition requesting President Muhammadu Buhari as the Commander-in-Chief of
the Nigerian Armed Forces to compassionately
exercise the prerogative of mercy by granting presidential pardon to the
aforementioned soldiers.
“Greatest Nigerian People! We appeal to all men of conscience to raise
their voices in support of these young and gallant soldiers who are being
punished for exposing corruption and for being whistleblowers against those who
pocket blood money. Please send this appeal to all your contacts. It is a
humanitarian service. Only noble minds fight for the innocent. Remember the
words of Uthman Dan Fodio, "Conscience is a wound, only the truth can heal
it."
The petition whose target is 5,000 signatures garnered 42 signatures
and 31 comments within three hours of its emergence. We appeal to civil
society, social media activists and all men of conscience to go online and sign
this petition in order to give these young soldiers a new lease of life.
The URL to follow is: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/pardon-the-66-soldiers
We must stop the age-old Nigerian practice of sacrificing
excellence on the altar of mediocrity. It is even worse this time as Nigeria is
about to sacrifice heroes on the altar of rogues. If we cannot stem the tears
of the unlucky mothers of the Chibok girls which are still flowing freely, we
have a chance to stop the tears of the mothers of the 66 soldiers from turning
to blood. We call on Nigerians to stand up to be counted on the side of
justice.
Professor Ishaq Akintola,
Director,
Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)
08182119714
Director,
Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)
08182119714
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