Army to court martial General over Buhari death rumour

Nigerian Army

The Nigerian Army said it is set to court martial one of its personnel for allegedly spreading false rumours that President Buhari had died at a time he was receiving medical treatment over an undisclosed ailment in the United Kingdom.

According to a report obtained from Sahara Reporters, it said Brig. Gen Lym Hassan with enlistment number N/826 would face court martial on another one count charge of alleged demand of $600,000 bribe from OPEMS Integrated Concepts Limited.

Enquiry by The Guardian from Director, Army Public Relations, Brig. Gen. Sani Usman proved abortive, as calls and text message were not returned. “The first of the two-count charge stated that Brigadier-General Hassan, in a phone conversation on January 17, told one Mr. Yerima Ibrahim, that President Buhari was dead.”  The charge sheet signed by Major-General JS Malu and dated October 11, quoted Yerima’s address as 2nd Avenue, EFAB Estate, Life Camp, Abuja.

“The alleged offense, the charge sheet stated, was “prejudicial to good order and service discipline” and amounted to a contravention of Section 103(1) of the Armed Forces Act (AFA) CAP 20 LFN 2004.”

On the second count, “The demand was allegedly made in respect of a contract awarded for the relocation of Nigeria Level 11 Hospital, Mali, to its permanent site in Timbuktu. “

The Army Headquarters said the alleged offence “amounted to scandalous conduct and is a contravention of Section 91 of Armed Forces.”

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Defence has denied that the offence for which the General was being tried had any link with contract in the Ministry. “The case of the said Army General currently standing trial at Army Court has no connection with award of any contract by the Ministry of Defence,” the Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan-Ali said.