The newly established 7 Division of the Nigerian Army is to institute a military board of inquiry into the remote and immediate causes of the mutiny by soldiers in Maimalari Cantonment, Maiduguri, a statement by the Defence Headquarters yesterday said.
Information Nigeria reports that angry soldiers fired some shots into the air when the General Officer Commanding (GOC), Maj. Gen. Ahmadu Mohammed, visited the barracks located within the metropolis to calm frayed nerves over the killing of some soldiers.
A statement by the Director of Defence Information, Maj-Gen. Chris Olukolade, however, said the situation had been brought under control.
The statement said: “The 7 Division of the Nigerian Army is to institute a military board of inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the conduct of soldiers who fired some shots today while the General Officers Commanding was addressing troops in Maimalari cantonment Maiduguri.
“The incident occurred when the bodies of four soldiers who died in an ambush while returning from patrol duties in Chibok were being conveyed to the morgue.
“There is calm in the cantonment and all normal operations activities are ongoing”.
Meanwhile, there were indications last night that the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshal Alex Badeh, sent a team to Maiduguri for preliminary stock-taking of the mutiny.
A source said: “The CDS has sent a team of senior officials to the 7 Division for preliminary findings. This is without prejudice to the board of inquiry which will be set up”.
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