Nigerian Army Speaks on Detaining Soldier for Converting to Christianity

Ilesanmi AdekanbiJuly 25, 2023

3 minutes read

Army Denies Detaining Soldier for Converting to Christianity, Says He Violated Military Laws

The Nigerian Army has refuted the claims that it detained Lance Corporal Musa Adamu, a soldier attached to the Amphibious Training School, Calabar, Cross River State, for changing his faith from Islam to Christianity and preaching on social media.

The Army said that the soldier was being investigated for violating some provisions of the Armed Forces Act and for absconding from his duty post.

The Army made this clarification in a statement issued by its Director of Army Public Relations, Brig.-Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, on Tuesday.

The statement was in response to a libelous publication by an online media that alleged that Adamu had been detained for 45 days and his bank account frozen by the Army authorities for posting a video clip of himself preaching about Jesus Christ while in service uniform on social media.

The statement described the publication as a misrepresentation of the true situation and an outrageous falsehood tainted with religious bigotry.

It said that the publication was capable of causing disaffection among personnel and distracting the Army from its constitutional mandate of defending the nation.

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The statement explained that Adamu was invited for interrogation by relevant authorities after he was found preaching in uniform on a social media platform in violation of the extant Social Media policy for the Armed Forces of Nigeria. The policy prohibits personnel from engaging in any form of political or religious activities on social media while in uniform.

The statement further said that instead of presenting himself for the investigation, Adamu absconded for about six and a half months, resulting in his declaration as Absent Without Official Leave (AWOL). The statement said that this action violated Section 58 (a) (b) Obstruction of Provost Officers and Section 59 (a) (b) Absence Without Leave of the Armed Forces Act. It also said that once a personnel is absent from his unit for seven days without any justification, his salary account will be frozen until he returns to the unit and is arraigned and sanctioned.

The statement emphasized that Adamu was not being victimized for converting from Islam to Christianity or for preaching the gospel, but rather for contravening the military laws that guide the conduct of personnel. It said that his detention was not unlawful but in accordance with the statutory provisions enshrined in the Armed Forces Act.

The statement assured that the Nigerian Army respects all religions and expects its personnel to respect each other’s faith as well.

It said that the Nigerian Army will not hesitate to sanction any personnel who violates its ethics, traditions, and laws, irrespective of their faith. It also urged Nigerians to disregard the false publication and support the Army in its efforts to secure the country.

The statement reads: “To set the records straight, Lance Corporal Musa Adamu, a personnel of the Amphibious Training School was attached to 63 Brigade to participate in an ongoing operation, during which he was found preaching in uniform on a social media platform in violation of extant Social Media policy for the Armed Forces of Nigeria.

“This prompted his invitation for interrogation by relevant authorities. Rather than present himself for the investigation, he absconded for about six and a half months, resulting in the declaration of the soldier on Absence Without Official Leave (AWOL). The action of the personnel violates Section 58 (a) (b) Obstruction of Provost Officers and Section 59 (a) (b) Absence Without Leave.

“It must be clarified, that once a personnel is absent from his unit for 7 days without any justification, he will be declared AWOL. This automatically triggers the freezing of his salary account, until the personnel returns to the unit and is arraigned and sanctioned.”

“Contrary to the erroneous impression that the soldier is being victimized for converting from Islam to Christianity and for preaching the gospel, the soldier was rather taken into custody for investigation and in pursuant of statutory provisions enshrined in the Armed Forces Act CAP 20: The Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, which the soldier contravened. His detention is therefore not unlawful.

“The Nigerian Army will not be hesitant to state that it is guided by ethics, traditions, and military laws, which direct personnel on their conduct. Violation of these ideals and statutory stipulations evoke sanctions, irrespective of the faith of the offender.”