NewStats: 3,263,851 , 8,181,605 topics. Date: Sunday, 08 June 2025 at 09:24 AM 3z2x6m

The military high command has announced the dismissal of a naval rating, Seaman Haruna Abbas, who was reportedly detained for about six years.

Haruna’s dismissal came on the heels of his wife, Hussaina Iliya, claim on a popular radio station in Abuja that her husband was detained unjustly by the military, since 2018, over attempt to disarm him.

After Iliya’s claim went viral, the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, and Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, ordered an investigation into the matter.

Giving an update during a press briefing at Defence Headquarters, Abuja, on Wednesday, the Director, Defence Information, Tukur Gusau, disclosed that Haruna had been dismissed from the military.

Gusau, a Brigadier-General, said Abbas was dismissed after the Chief of Naval Staff, Emmanuel Ogalla, ratified the judgement of the court martial instituted by the DHQ on September 19, 2024.

The senior military officer said that Abbas was arraigned before a court-martial on three charges bordering on disobedience to orders, resisting arrest and destruction of service property.

He noted that the offences were contrary to Sections 56 (1), 86 (1) and 66 (c) of the Armed Forces Act Act CAP A20 Laws of the Federation 2004, adding that upon his arraignment, he pleaded guilty to the allegations against him.

“Ex Seaman Abbas Haruna M5759 was arraigned before the GCM on 3 counts charge of Disobedience to Particular Orders, Resistance to Arrest and Offences in Relation to Public and Service Property contrary to Sections 56 (1), 86 (1) and 66 (c) of the Armed Forces Act (AFA) Act CAP A20 Laws of the Federation (LFN) 2004, respectively.

“At the trial, the GCM deliberated on the testimonies of the prosecution and Defence witnesses as well as the exhibits tendered by the prosecution surrounding the circumstances of the case.

“It is important to note that the ex-rating pleaded guilty to all the charges during the trial. The GCM therefore, considered the nature of the offence committed by the ex rating, his plea of guilty and plea in mitigation of punishment as well as the legal advice of the Judge Advocate in arriving at its verdict,” he said.

Gusau said after the trial, the court found Abbas guilty and dismissed him with effect from February 7, 2023, adding that Abbas was subsequently placed on open arrest pending the ratification of the judgment.

He said, “Accordingly, after proceedings, the GCM found Ex Seaman Abbas Haruna M5759 guilty on all counts. Based on this, he was sentenced to a Reduction in Rate from Seaman to Ordinary Seaman on Count One and Dismissal with Ignominy on Counts 2 and 3 with effect from 7 February 2023.

“Thereafter, the ex-rating was placed on open arrest at the arrival hall in Mogadishu Cantonment, Abuja, pending confirmation of the sentences by the Chief of the Naval Staff.

“The Record of Proceedings of the trial was forwarded to DHQ on 27 June 2023 and subsequently transmitted to Naval Headquarters on 8 August 2023. The sentences of the GCM were thereafter confirmed by the CNS with effect from September 19, 2024.”

Gusau dismissed claims that Abbas was tried despite having mental health issues.

He said, “On the issue of mental well-being, we have a clip here that shows medical personnel coming to testify that he has conducted checks and he is fit to stand trial. And again, we have medical certificates from Federal Medical Center, where they certify that he is fit to stand trial.

“He has been going in and out of hospital, but all the hospitals he attended show that he is mentally fit to stand trial. In fact, because of his, you know, in and out of hospital, that’s why the first court-martial was dissolved, to give him enough time so that he can go and seek medical attention.

“But all reports came back saying he is physically and mentally ready to stand trial”, adding that Abba’s Commander did nothing wrong to disarm him.

He stated, “You can disarm that person. Once you give a weapon to somebody and you don’t trust him any longer, you don’t allow him until he’s perpetrated an offence or even killed people before you now, you know, collect the weapon.

“The weapon belongs to the states. It belongs to the Armed Forces of Nigeria. You go to the armoury, you sign it, and at every point, until your commander feels he doesn’t trust you with that weapon, he can retrieve it from you. And if you refuse, he can disarm you.”

Narrating how Abbas’ ordeal started, Gusau said the dismissed rating continually interrupted his commander while addressing them on the parade ground.

He added that Abbas disobeyed all orders given to him by his commander, which included him to report to the guard room.

Gusau said, “Let me at this point intimate to you that the case involving Ex-Seaman Abbas M5759 started when he was found misbehaving during a parade.

“Specifically, the ex-rating was part of the parade during a coordinating conference of the Commanding Officer when he was addressing troops of Exercise AYAM AKPATUMA preparing for the operation.

“While the CO was addressing the troops, the ex-rating continually interrupted the address, which warranted the CO to direct him to report to the guard room. However, the rating refused to obey the order.

“Thus, the CO directed his arrest, but the ex-rating resisted and expended 16 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition belonging to the NN with the aim of preventing other soldiers from taking him into custody.

“Consequently, the investigation was conducted, and the ex-rating was recommended to be tried by court-martial. The ex-rating was eventually tried by a GCM from December 20, 2022 – February 7, 2023.

“Notably, the trial of Ex Seaman Abbas Haruna M5759 by GCM was based on the authority that as serving personnel, he was subject to both military and civil laws.”

https://nairaland.macsoftware.info/8217811/navy-personnel-seaman-abbas-detained#132073769

I will say this is a Win Win for the both parties. He has his freedom and also the Nigeria Navy flushed away a disobedient officer.

So he served a 6 year jail term for mere disobedience

When will they detained all the corrupt useless politicians in the country. Na poor masses dey suffer for this corn-tree

Freedom alaa

Freedom alas

hmmmm

madridguy:
I will say this is Win Win for the both parties. He has his freedom and also the Nigeria Navy flushed away a disobedience officer.

Dullardino it's disobedient not disobedience

what they should have done since and not detained him in that inhuman way.

gabmanuel:
Freedom alaa

Y U de spam nairaland

Lawless society

His level of insubordination was out of place

But detained for 6 years?

Well he's lucky to be out this early.

Hmmm

Zoo geria.

https://nairaland.macsoftware.info/8217811/navy-personnel-seaman-abbas-detained#132073769

So without the intervention of the ordinary president after the wife ran to him for help this guy will still be languishing in military cell since 2018. I watched the video trending online and I must say the guy seems to be high on something but the military should have concluded the case long before now with the same outcome. I personally feel that a person with such temperament should not handle firearm.

The expelled rating was shouting' who are you when his colleagues wanted to disarm him'. It is good that he was expelled.

Kudos to NN. Social media pressure didn't stop the NN from doing their job. The military is a discipline organization and seaman Abbas does not possess that character.

jaxxy:
what they should have done since and not detained him in that inhuman way.

There was no inhumane way
The military has its procedures
He was totally out of line
And wont have been dismissed if not for the social media outcry
It would have been demotion of rank and possible guard room time
But the wife made it worse
Now he is dismissed
He will not find it easy outside the military

After serving 6 year's in detention you end up dismissing him.
This i believe should be the beginning of a legal battle.
The Military Court Martial system is worst than our corrupt Judiciary.
I pray he gets good lawyers.
Armed Force's now worst than APC and PDP put together.

tiredoflife:


There was no inhumane way
The military has its procedures
He was totally out of line
And wont have been dismissed if not for the social media outcry
It would have been demotion of rank and possible guard room time
But the wife made it worse
Now he is dismissed
He will not find it easy outside the military

Yes he was completely out of line but detained for 6 years to the point his health deteriorated? Haba.

madridguy:
I will say this is Win Win for the both parties. He has his freedom and also the Nigeria Navy flushed away a disobedience officer.

Win win? That's not a win win situation unless you are not being honest with yourself. Detaining someone for six years and dismissing and releasing him when it became public matter! They didn't have to detain him for six years. That's injustice

he is lucky it was only 6 years
I recommend amala and ewedu for him for 90 days

jaxxy:


Yes he was completely out of line but detained for 6 years to the point his health deteriorated? Haba.

No where in the write up was it stated he was destined for 6yrs
I don't know where that came from

tiredoflife:


There was no inhumane way
The military has its procedures
He was totally out of line
And wont have been dismissed if not for the social media outcry
It would have been demotion of rank and possible guard room time
But the wife made it worse
Now he is dismissed
He will not find it easy outside the military

The wife made it worse? Use your common sense now. How long was the wife supposed to keep quiet? 20 years? 30 years? They even said that he had been dismissed since 2023, so how was his dismissal caused by the wife?

I don't think anyone forced him to the Nigeria Navy. Since he has grown wing to obey his superior officer, he would have resigned honorably.

maasoap:


Win win? That's not a win win situation unless you are not being honest with yourself. Detaining someone for six years and dismissing and releasing him when it became public matter! They didn't have to detain him for six years. That's injustice

madridguy:
I don't think anyone forced him to the Nigeria Navy. Since he has grown wing to obey his superior officer, he would have resigned honorably.

You are deflecting. You said it was win win, now you are saying something completely different

tiredoflife:


There was no inhumane way
The military has its procedures
He was totally out of line
And wont have been dismissed if not for the social media outcry
It would have been demotion of rank and possible guard room time
But the wife made it worse
Now he is dismissed
He will not find it easy outside the military

I thought this was a poem or something of that sort

The lines

I am not deflecting. He has his freedom after 6 years, and also the military flushed him out to avoid reoccurrence of what happened.

maasoap:

You are deflecting. You said it was win win, now you are saying something completely different

Demotion when he has soent 6years and still counting if not for the out cry.It is better he is a free man civilian.

tiredoflife:


There was no inhumane way
The military has its procedures
He was totally out of line
And wont have been dismissed if not for the social media outcry
It would have been demotion of rank and possible guard room time
But the wife made it worse
Now he is dismissed
He will not find it easy outside the military