The Nigerian Military has denied detaining certainly one of its personnel, Corporal Musa Adamu, on non secular grounds.
A broadly circulated report on social media claimed that Adamu was arrested for changing from Islam to Christianity and preaching the gospel.
In an announcement on Tuesday, the Director of Military Public Relations, Brigadier Common Onyema Nwachukwu stated opposite to reviews that the soldier is in custody for violating some provisions of the Armed Forces Act.
It learn: “Opposite to reviews circulating on social media {that a} Nigerian Military (NA) personnel, Corporal Musa Adamu is in custody for changing to Christianity, the truth is that the soldier is in custody for violating some provisions of the Armed Forces Act.
“The report isn’t solely a misrepresentation of the true scenario, but additionally an outrageous untruth tainted with non secular bigotry, peddled towards the Nigerian Military. This can be a skilled establishment guided by well-established ethics and custom in all its actions and personnel administration.
“That is along with the place’s unbiased premium positioned on the religious care and development of employees, in addition to the sensitivity it locations on non secular practices amongst employees.”
He stated Adamu was hooked up to the 63 Brigade to take part within the ongoing operation, accusing him of absconding.
“To set the file straight, Corporal Musa Adamu, a employees of the Amphibious Coaching College, has been hooked up to 63 Brigade to take part within the ongoing operation throughout which he was discovered preaching in uniform on a social media platform in violation of the prevailing social media coverage for the Nigerian Armed Forces.
“That led to his calling the authorities. As a substitute of showing for the investigation, he went on the run for about six and a half months. This resulted within the soldier being positioned on depart with out official depart (AWOL). The motion of the employees violates Article 58 (a) (b) Interference with the Vice-Chancellor and Article 59 (a) (b) Go away with out Go away,” the assertion added.
He added that when troopers from his unit are absent for seven days with out justification, he’s declared a fugitive.
Onyema stated that each personnel of the service features inside a corps or division with prescribed statutory tasks that represent certified personnel educated to successfully discharge these duties.
Based on him, non secular affairs within the military are managed by appointed clergy within the Directorates for Chaplain Companies (Protestant), (Roman Catholic) and Islamic Affairs.
He stated that the personnel of those directorates are mandated to carry out all non secular actions to satisfy the religious wants of all NA personnel, each within the theaters of operations and within the barracks.
“The query that begs to be answered is, if the NA allowed the soldier to vary his faith, why would the NA victimize him? It’s ironic, then, that an establishment that promotes religious well-being allegedly detained a soldier due to his religion. That is even when it’s fairly clear that he has the chance to vary his corps to any of the navy chaplains.
“The NA is not going to hesitate to state that it’s guided by ethics, custom and the legal guidelines of the navy, which information personnel of their conduct. Violation of those beliefs and authorized provisions causes sanctions, whatever the perpetrator’s faith,” he added.