A Nigerian soldier, Agunloye Sunday, has opened up about maltreatment he's received after being dismissed by the Nigerian army for “laxity and cowardice in the course of duty”.

In a Premium Times report, he said the charges against him and 199 others were “untrue, false and malicious” and that the weapons provided for them were obsolete.

“The bombs given to us were made since 1964 they were expired, so we could not use them,” he said.

“Each of us were given five bullets, not five rounds to fire, while in the forest, our biggest weapon was to cover just a distance on 400 meters, but our enemy had aircraft weapons that could cover a distance of more than 1000 meters with other dangerous weapons.

“We only retreated to our base, waiting for ammunition for three days in vain.”

He explained that the soldiers were earlier imprisoned for 28 days with hard labour by one Lt. Colonel Gambo, before a general court martial was set up by the Nigerian army to try them.

He said Mr. Gambo had also been ordered into the guardroom – a military cell- for issuing mild sanctions against the soldiers.

He also disclosed that they are also being owed 10 months salaries and allowances by the Nigerian Army.
“We have been sleeping in the open at the barrack since we left the forest November 13th without food, but we have been ‘falling in’ for duties each day at the barracks,” he said.