By Peter Omopo
Maiduguri, Sept. 24, 2025 – A General Court Martial of the Nigerian Army has sentenced three soldiers to life imprisonment for selling and diverting arms and ammunition to terrorist groups in Borno State.
The judgment, delivered in Maiduguri on Tuesday, followed months of investigation and trial which exposed how the convicted personnel illegally supplied weapons to insurgents, undermining counterterrorism operations in the North-East.
Military prosecutors told the court that the soldiers were caught after intelligence reports linked them to the diversion of several rounds of ammunition and military-grade weapons, some of which were later recovered from terrorist hideouts.
The presiding judge advocate of the court martial described their actions as “a betrayal of the highest order,” stressing that the offences not only endangered the lives of fellow soldiers but also strengthened the enemy they were sworn to fight.
In addition to the life sentences, the court ordered the dismissal of the soldiers from military service, stripping them of all ranks and benefits.
Reacting to the ruling, military authorities said the conviction demonstrated the Army’s commitment to upholding discipline, accountability, and the integrity of ongoing operations against insurgents in the region.
A senior officer who spoke after the judgment said: “The Nigerian Army will never tolerate acts of sabotage from within. These sentences serve as a strong warning to any personnel who may contemplate such treachery.”
The proceedings were conducted in line with the Armed Forces Act and Nigeria’s criminal justice system, ensuring due process.
This conviction comes at a time when the military is intensifying efforts to curb illicit arms flows and tighten internal security controls in the North-East.
