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Army authority in Nigeria is denying claims by the media that it is shielding soldiers that recently involved in alleged battering of a robbery suspect from trial by country's Rights Commission.
The Army said the soldiers will be handed over to the National Human Rights Commission only after it has concluded its in-house investigation on the matter.
The Nigeria Army headquarters made this clear in a statement that reacts to newspaper and online media reports showing photographs of soldiers extra-judicially maltreating a robbery suspect near the nation's federal capital.
The army said it was embarrassed by the damaging impact the photographs had caused it which the Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, Sani Kukasheka Usman, a Colonel, described as 'incalculable damage to the image of the service".
The army however condemned the manner one of the Nigerian newspaper gave the story prominence in its Monday, 10th August Publication, saying that a rather non-editorial approach should have been better option that celebrating it it on front page of newspaper
Colonel Usman's statement reads; "The attention of Nigerian Army has been drawn to a front page photograph of some soldiers maltreating a suspected robber at Mararraba, Nasarawa State, on the front page of today's edition of Daily Trust newspaper.
"Sadly, it is also trending on the Social Media. There is no doubt the photograph has done incalculable damage to the image of the service. The act was unfortunate and at variance with military ethics and professionalism.
"The Nigerian Army wishes to inform the public that the perpetrators of the offence have been identified, summoned and would face disciplinary action. The Army has also reached out to the management of the newspaper over this poor and worrisome editorial judgement by giving this misdemeanour prominence in their paper. Alerting appropriate Nigeiran Army authorities would have been a better option that will be met with prompt response.
"We wish to assure the public that the Nigerian Army would continue to protect and respect human rights and that this regrettable incidence should not be used as a yardstick to judge the entire Army.
"I would to inform the public that the Nigerian Army is aware of the demand by the National Human Rights Comission (NHRC) requesting for the release of soldiers involved in the unfortunate incidence of ill treatment of robbery suspected as shown on the front page of today's Daily Trust.
"I wish to inform the commison and the public that all those involved would be released to the NHRC after carrying out our investigation in accordance with our regulations", said Colonel Usman.
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