Opeyemi Olamilekan

One Sergeant Zachariah Ismaila of the Nigerian Army has been in detention for the past six months without charge or trial, his family said.
Ismaila, a father-of-two  – with military number 04NA/55/1882, serving under Lieutenant Colonel I.A Manga in 29 battalion, Port Harcourt; was arrested on January 8, 2024, booked and thrown into dungeon without being immediately informed of his alleged offence(s), the family told investigative news outlet, Sahara Reporters.
He was later told that his arrest originated from the state police command on alleged “trumped up” accusation of involvement in illicit firearms deal, an allegation he vehemently denied.
The police also seemed to be unaware of the claim. Although the spokesperson of the Rivers State command, SP Grace Iringe-Koko who initially doubted any such possibility promised to verify and get back, she did not, as of the time of filing this report.
Despite lacking reasonable and/or substantial evidence to support the allegation and subsequent booking of a military personnel, the soldier was indefinitely detained nonetheless.
His elder brother, Othniel Ismaila, a non military personnel lamented that “all efforts to get the military high command to wade into the matter fell on deaf ears.”
“For us his family, we suspect he’s being persecuted at the instance of someone for a completely different reason. I know him and I’m so sure he won’t lie to me if he was involved in arms deal.
“In any case, why is it that no formal charges have been pressed against him in the past six months? Or better still, why would a detained personnel suspected of dealing in illegal firearms, be allowed access to his phone any time of the day?
“By military rules from what we gathered, personnel detained in connection to firearms deal are kept in maximum detention facility and are denied access to phones and similar devices.
“What we are saying is that if the young man has a case to answer, let him be court-martialled and subsequently delivered to the police for prosecution, according to extant laws.”
Ismaila further disclosed that his brother had recently sent a message to a superior officer thus: “Good afternoon sir, my name is 04NA/55/1882 Sgt Zachariah Ismaila Jen, serving in 29 Battalion Port Harcourt.
“Sir I’ve been locked up in a guard room since on the 08 Jan 24 exactly 6 months 3 days. As I’m typing this message to you sir, sincerely speaking sir, I know nothing on the allegation level against me sir. I’m serving a prison (guard room) on offence I did not commit, sir. I had requested if I could be allowed to see the GOC (General Officer Commanding) of 6 Division but they refused to take me to him in other to explain myself.
“Sir I was wrongly accused of arms deal which I know nothing about it, they usually granted me my phone to make calls inside guard room which I know if the allegation leveled against me was true, they would not be giving me phone to make calls because you know it is not permissable. 
“Sir, I really need your help on this matter sir. There is no evidence whatsoever about the allegation on me sir. I have been begging from January till date to be taken to the GOC but all proved abortive. Sir I swear to Almighty God who created me, I know nothing about the allegation, I’m innocent sir. Thank you and God bless you sir.”
With no response from the superior and/or help in view, Ismaila suspects that a Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM), Master Warrant Officer (MWO) Duguba Bappa was in the know of the real reason his brother was detained in solitary confinement.
“The RSM had once ordered my brother to reconcile with his wife and take her back, to end his ordeal,” Ismaila claimed. “I think my brother’s former wife is from the same community in Taraba State as the RSM,” he added.
Ismaila accordingly pleaded with the 29 Battalion Commanding Officer, Lt Col. Manga, the Brigade Commander, the GOC 6 Division and the highest military hierarchy to intervene and end his brother’s endless incarceration.
Cases of arbitrary detention of military personnel are much in Nigeria, with their attendant consequences of dampening the morale of foot soldiers; even as the country grapples with terrorism and other violence.
The new York-based media recalled a June 20, 2024 report on how an ex-military personnel, Lance Corporal Martins Idakpini in a petition, accused the military of acting illegally by detaining soldiers for up to five years or more without being court-martialled.

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