Court Martial Demotes Adeniyi over Leaked Video

A Court Martial in Abuja yesterday convicted and demoted the former Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj. Gen. Olusegun Adeniyi, Thisday reports.

The tribunal was said to have found Adeniyi guilty of violating military social media guidelines and ordered his demotion by at least three years.

However, Adeniyi’s lawyers have vowed to appeal the judgment.

It was also gathered that Adeniyi’s military aide, Private Tokunbo Obanla, who was prosecuted alongside the general, was also found guilty and sentenced to 28 days in jail with hard labour.

Both convictions are however subject to confirmation by the military council.

Our correspondent gathered that Adeniyi pleaded guilty to three-count of unlawful use of social media, and two others.

The verdict came several months after a video of the major general complaining about a lack of military equipment to combat Boko Haram insurgents in the North-east went viral.

He also complained that insurgents were outgunning troops, noting that intelligence failure was responsible for an attack by insurgents that claimed dozens of soldiers.

The revelations by the major general led to his removal from the insurgency war and subsequent suspension by the military authorities.

The Nigerian Army subsequently filed charges of military social media guideline violations against him.

Adeniyi had denied any wrongdoing, stating that he did not leak the video, adding that his phone was in Obanla’s custody at the time of the incident.

Obanla had in his statement allegedly admitted to posting the video on social media in error.