Soldiers Who Assaulted a Crippled Man in Onitsha Land in Hot Soup

 

 

The two soldiers who allegedly tortured a cripple on Tuesday along the New Market Road, Osha in Onitsha, Anambra State, were court-martialled on Thursday.

 

A Punch correspondent learnt that the soldiers, whose names had yet to be disclosed by the army, had also been discharged from their unit and summoned to the 82 Division, Enugu State. The victim today met with military authorities of the 82 Division who extended hands of friendship and peaceful coexistence to him.

 

The Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, who is also the spokesman for the 82 Division, Col. Sagir Musa, confirmed the soldiers’ trial, adding that the victim had been invited.

 

PUNCH Metro had reported on Thursday that a video footage, which went viral, showed the soldiers allegedly dragging and flogging the crippled man for dressing in camouflage.

 

It was reported that in the video posted by one Prince Ifeanyichukwu Emmanuel on Facebook, one of the soldiers dispossessed the man of his wheelchair and threw it away. The soldier then held the victim by the hand and dragged him on the road as his colleague joined him to flog the man.

 

The video, which was recorded on Tuesday, also showed the victim begging the soldiers, unsuccessfully, to escape the assault.

 

The Nigerian Army had, in a statement late on Wednesday, said it had identified and arrested the soldiers. It was learnt on Thursday that the soldiers had been summoned to the 82 division headquarters, Enugu.

 

The division spokesperson, Colonel Musa, said, “The soldiers have been tried at the unit level in Onitsha, and referred to the higher level for appropriate punishment commensurate with the offence committed.

 

Meawhile, the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities in Abuja on Thursday condemned the attack on the victim by soldiers for dressing in camouflage.