Military orders investigation into alleged detention of naval personnel for six years

The Chief of Defence Staff, Christopher Musa, has ordered an immediate investigation into a trending video of the alleged detention of a Naval rating officer, Abbas Haruna, for six years.

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) Spokesperson, Tukur Gusau, a brigadier general, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.

Mr Gusau said the attention of the DHQ was drawn to the viral video aired by the Abuja-based Berkete Family TV station

On Sunday, Husaina Abbas, wife of the detained navy personnel, exposed the illegal detention of her husband by one Muhammad Adamu, a military officer.

In the video of the programme, Mrs Abbas narrated that her husband was sent on an official duty to Taraba State from Kaduna where they live. She said she became angry with him at first for not calling her for two days until she later discovered what happened.

She said somebody used her husband’s phone to call her but that the person ended the call shortly and that when she called the line back, she realised the voice on the other end was not that of her husband.

Mrs Abbas said she later confirmed that her husband had been “subjected to a punitive six-year imprisonment by his superior, Muhammad S. Adamu, the commander of his battalion.”

She said her husband was punished unlawfully for “gathering soldiers under his command for prayer, which was a part of his commitment to the moral and spiritual well-being of his troops.”

Northern elders intervene

Shortly after the video aired, the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), condemned Mr Haruna’s detention and demanded immediate action by the Nigerian military.

NEF Director of Publicity and Advocacy, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, in a statement on Sunday, demanded justice for the detained naval personnel and his family.

“We demand that the military hierarchy take immediate steps to review this case and provide the necessary support for Seaman Abbas’s rehabilitation. It is critical that the injustices he has faced be addressed with urgency to restore his dignity and that of his family.

“As narrated by Mrs Husaina Abbas during her appearance on the Berkete Family TV station in the Federal Capital, Abuja, the circumstances surrounding the incarceration of Seaman Abbas raise grave alarms about the accountability and ethical standards within the military hierarchy,” the group said.

Military orders investigation

Mr Gusau said the DHQ had taken notice of the circulating video clip alleging the unjust incarceration of Mr Haruna and that the CDS had ordered immediate investigation into the matter.

“The DHQ wishes to assure the public that the Armed Forces of Nigeria remains committed to upholding justice, fairness, and the rule of law. The military court-martial process, though meticulous, ensures fairness, equal opportunity, and justice in accordance with established military procedures and the law.”

“In response to this allegation, the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Gwabin Musa, has directed an immediate investigation into the matter. The outcome of the investigation will be made public in due course,” the statement said.

The DHQ urged the general public to exercise caution and refrain from spreading unsubstantiated information while the investigation is ongoing.

“We assure Nigerians that the Armed Forces will ensure a speedy and transparent investigation,” the statement added.