An inside source told SaharaReporters that the soldier identified as Sergeant Dennis 54 intake 2003 NA, popularly known as Balance Well, died on Sunday/
One of the over 80 soldiers of the Nigerian Army detained in a secret cell at 8 Division, Sokoto for years without trial, access to their wives and other family members, has died in detention, SaharaReporters has learnt.
An inside source told SaharaReporters that the soldier identified as Sergeant Dennis 54 intake 2003 NA, popularly known as Balance Well, died on Sunday/
Another soldier, Lance Corporal Lucky Sambo, 13NA/70/5255 is reportedly suffering from kidney disease and in need of urgent attention but the Army has refused to grant him bail.
Also, Private Solomon Gideon, 15NA/73/1076 is said to be suffering from an eye problem but SaharaReporters learnt that no attention had been given to him.
SaharaReporters had reported that about 87 Nigerian Army personnel who had been detained in a secret cell at 8 Division, Sokoto for years without trial protested against the “excruciating conditions” they are subjected to, including the denial of access to their wives and other family members.
SaharaReporters learnt from military sources at the division that the detainees protested against the gory conditions they were subjected to, including the refusal of the army to allow them to go for medical checkups.
SaharaReporters had also reported that a coalition of human rights lawyers filed a petition at the United Nations Human Rights Commission against former President Muhammadu Buhari and a former Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai (retd.) over the illegal detention of the soldiers.
The petitioners told the UNHRC based in Geneva, Switzerland, that the 87 soldiers had been held for over two years in unimaginable deplorable conditions at a place, not fit for human habitation.
The petition obtained by SaharaReporters revealed how some of the affected soldiers had lost their sight as a result of their incarceration while some had developed piles and whooping cough.
They noted that the 87 detainees in Sokoto are entitled to N10,000 each per day, amounting to N300,000 per month, and N3.6 million per year. They noted that the money was not, however, given to the detainees, while accusing top military officers of using the inmates to make money.
When contacted, the spokesperson for the Army in Sokoto, Lt. Col Ikechukwu Stephen Eze, confirmed that a soldier died on Sunday morning but said that the deceased soldier was never detained, rather, he died in the hospital. "Actually, a soldier died. he was never in a detention. He died in the hospital, so he was never detained. I made inquiries, I called GOC and Garrison Commander but they said there was nothing like that. It is mischief makers that are making things out of it. Last two weeks, the GOC went round the detention (facilities) telling everybody to release any soldier that had undergone court martial. He made it serious that no soldier that has gone through court martial should be detained. Whoever gave the information is just trying to make mountain out of nothing."