Following the abduction of thee over 200 Chibok girls kidnapped in Borno state, the Nigerian has concluded plans to arraign 16 soldiers over the abduction. According to Punch, three of the soldiers who are officers are named:  Lieutenant Col. A. O. Ojo, Capt. O. O. Ogunrinde, and 2nd Lieutenant V.I. Godknows while the remaining 13 soldiers belong to other ranks.

The 16 are among 117 soldiers   facing a GCM convened by the General Officer Commanding 1 Division of the Army in Kaduna, Maj.Gen. K. C. Osuji, on August 6, 2014.

The soldiers are reported to appear before the General Court Martial at the Maxwell Khobe Military Cantonment, Rukuba, Jos in Plateau State after the Sallah holidays.

A source said their trial would take place at the headquarters of the 3rd Armoured Division, Rukuba in Jos for security reasons.

The GCM panel comprises Col. J.J. Ogunlade (President); Col. J. O. Sokoya, Col. M. Kadiri, Col. M. W. Abubakar, Col. A. A. Bamgbose, Col. A. Garba and Col E.M. Albara.

 Lt. Colonels B. Garke and   O. S. Obot are the waiting members of the panel which has Captain A. Mohammed as the judge advocate and Lt. G. B. Suleiman as the liaison officer.

Punch Investigations on Monday revealed that Lieutenant Col. A. O. Ojo who was the Unit Commander, in Biu, was summoned to the GCM as a result of the inaccuracy in the number of girls said to be kidnapped and those rescued at the time of the incident. He is also charged for  alleged failure to reinforce the Chibok community when the incident occurred.

A source, who confided in our correspondent said that the Lt. Colonel had stated that the number he gave was not the one that was used in a statement by the Defence Headquarters on the reported rescue of some of the abducted girls. The said statement was later withdrawn.

It was gathered that the officers were being charged for failure to perform military duty, an offence that attracts a maximum of two years’ imprisonment.

The source said: “The Lt. Colonel is being charged for allegedly giving information without verification, negligent performance of military duty and not going to reinforce the place where the incident took place. The charge attracts a maximum of two years’ imprisonment.”

He also said that Ojo had not completely taken over from his predecessor and had complained about the number of men and equipment on the ground when the abduction took place two days after his arrival in Biu for the mission.

It was stated that the shortage of men was shown by the fact that only the 2nd Lt. and 13 soldiers were in Chibok   in spite of the fact that the place had a heavy presence of insurgents.

It was gathered that the other soldiers led by Godknows were on duty at the headquarters of the Chibok Local Government Area on the day of the incident.