18/06/2025
Rivers Man Shares Painful Experience, Maltreatment As Soldier In Nigerian Army
Michael Jojor, who hails from Ahoada East LGA of Rivers State, wrote: “I am writing and I want the world to know the level of maltreatment I went through in the hand of Maj Gen AA Adekeye as a soldier. I was a soldier, I was enlisted into the Nigerian Army on 25th June 2016 as a member of 75RRI.
After my initial training at Depot NA I was posted to Nigerian Army Armour School, Bauchi where I served till 22nd of January 2025 when I decided to leave the Army because of an ill treatment towards me from my comdt Maj Gen AA Adekeye. Now former Comdt Nigerian Army Armour School, Bauchi.
Below is what happened👇
In 2022 I was working with Lt Col AU Nagogo at NAAS when he was posted there as Infantry Rep. Then he was later posted to 6 Div Gar around July 2022 as CO Admin.
So he pleaded with the Comdt Maj Gen JO Ochai and his Dy Brig Gen T Isa that I should be temporarily attached to him, that after his tenure as CO Admin he would release me back to NAAS. That was how I was temporarily attached to him with signal.
So, I was in Port Harcourt when Maj Gen AA Adekeye was posted to NAAS as Comdt. One day around April 2023 Sgt Jimoh the RSM clerk at NAAS Bauchi called me that Maj Gen AA Adekeye said I should come back to Bauchi, so I told my boss Lt Col AU Nagogo and he said he would call the Comdt to explain things to him that I shouldn't worry, so I was calm especially as the Sgt didn't later call me for more than a week so I thought it had been settled. And the right thing he should have done if he really wanted me back in Bauchi was to send a letter to 6 Div Gar to release me back to him, cuz there was no how I would've abandoned me riffle there and ran back to Bauchi without proper procedure.
On June 2023 Maj Gen AA Adekeye instructed that I should be booked on AWOL. After I was booked on AWOL it got to 6 Div Gar and that was when I was released from 6 Div Gar with signal and pass so report back to Bauchi. I got to NAAS and Maj Gen AA Adekeye locked me in the guard room for up to 2 weeks. Then later handed me over to military police for investigation, I explained everything that happened to military police together with my evidence, they even had to call Brig Gen T Isa to confirm how I was released which he confirmed that he was aware of my release. Then military police concluded that I didn't do anything wrong. I was under an Army unit with correspondents, it was not as if I abandoned Army work and carried on to my village. And when I got to Bauchi I tendered my release letter and valid pass from 6 Div Gar Port Harcourt that shows I was with them all the while. Yet, Gen Adekeye maltreated me, humiliated me, locked me up for 2 weeks.
As if that wasn't enough, he still took me to military police for investigation. I was under military police for up to 2 months where they confirmed I didn't commit any offense. Then he later came and took me from them without them writing anything against me, and instructed Lt Col IA Musa 211 bn CO to demote me from lance corporal to private and still awarded me another 14 days IHL, and also instructed I should be deployed to Frontline immediately. Somehow the matter got to CDS and I was told he sent the Corps Comdr to investigate the matter, I was taking back to Military police so they could submit their report. After then they said I should exercise patience that my rank would be given back to me. It was the hardest period of my career as a soldier but somehow I managed hoping that a day very soon my rank would be given back to me.
For more than a year nothing was said about my rank. I started texting frequently almost all the big men in the Army that I could reach to remind them of my case, but they did not say anything till today. I was heart broken and demoralized. Sometimes I cried seeing my coursemates and even most of my juniors wearing ranks on their chest and mine was empty, meaning I've suddenly became their junior
So the pain and embarrassment was too much for me to bear. I was afraid of my mental health. I'm supposed to due for Cpl next year now I would still be private while my mates are Cpl's.
And I couldn't watch my juniors now becoming my seniors especially knowing that I didn't do anything wrong. So that was while I left sir. I've been messaging the CDS continuously since then but he's no longer saying anything. I know they would probably come out to deny this, but I leave it with God.
I know after seeing this the Nigerian Army would probably come after me, but I'm no longer afraid of death. And I won't even start hiding after this cuz me speaking up for my right is not an offence. And I know they would also come out to deny this, but I'm ready to prove this.
It's just disheartening that after all my years in the Army I had to leave without anything 😭
So many soldiers are going through this and more, but I know they are afraid to speak up.
Follow Eleco social commentator..
