TheCable

Martins Idakpini, a lance corporal who criticised Tukur Buratai, chief of army staff, has been moved to Sokoto state to be court-martialled, according to Tope Akinyode, his lawyer. 

Court martial is a judicial process used in trying members of the armed forces accused of offences. 

Idakpini had been arrested and detained in Abuja following a video in which he accused Buratai of poorly managing the fight against insurgency. 

Akinyode, on Saturday, said the soldier is being maltreated in custody despite his failing health condition.  

“Information reaching me right now indicates that Lance Corporal Martins has been surreptitiously moved from Abuja to Sokoto to be tried before a Martial Court on Monday,” he said in a statement. 

“I’m also informed that the Army is forcing a lawyer from within the force on Lance Corporal Martins in a desperate attempt to jeopardise the case and wrongly convict the detained soldier. 

“Lance Corporal Martins has been brutalised and subjected to a great deal of dehumanising treatment. He was also denied food and has therefore developed ulcer. 

“We wrote the AGF and Chief of Army Staff to notify them of the court order. I also called the AGF on phone and he assured me the Court Order would be obeyed. But myself and Lance Corporal Martins’ wife visited the Army headquarters thrice to see my client, but we were blocked.” 

A federal high court in Abuja had in July ordered the army to grant  Idakpini access to his wife, lawyer and relatives.

The court had also prohibited the military from further violating the soldier’s fundamental human rights in any unlawful manner.

Sagir Musa, army’s spokesman, was not immediately available to comment on the matter.