3 hours ago
15
Some of the soldiers who spoke to SaharaReporters alleged that General Abdullahi recently diverted the palliative rice meant for them.
Soldiers serving at the depot of the Nigerian Army in Zaria, Kaduna State have accused the commander of the military training centre, Major General Mohammed Aminu Abdullahi (N/10208) of corruption and financial mismanagement.
Some of the soldiers who spoke to SaharaReporters alleged that General Abdullahi recently diverted the palliative rice meant for them.
The Kaduna depot is used by the army for the training of recruits.
Since its establishment in 1924, Nigerian soldiers have been trained at the facility.
The rice, which was from the President Bola Tinubu-led government palliatives, is to cushion the effect of the economic hardship, and it was for distribution to the soldiers.
The depot, like other military formations and units across the country, received the palliative rice in three trucks but the soldiers alleged that the Commandant refused to distribute same to them.
“Our depot Commandant recently collected three trucks of rice palliative to share for us soldiers but he diverted them,” one of the soldiers said.
Lamenting about poor feeding at the depot, another soldier added, “The training institution is facing poor feeding and this is bad for the recruits.
“The feeding of instructors, both officers and junior ranks during the working hours is very poor; no difference between the food given to them and prisoners. Maybe the army authorities or the federal government should send a spy to see what we have been complaining about.
“No palliative rice has been given to a single officer and soldiers in this army depot. Also, no uniform has been given to them.“
Also speaking to SaharaReporters, an instructor in the military institution said, “I have nothing to add again but the man is very corrupt and he believes in bringing Islamic clerics, Mallams and Imams to his official quarters to pray for him so that Almighty Allah would cover all his atrocities but God can’t be mocked.”
In February, SaharaReporters exclusively reported how some recruits at the depot died of a strange illness allegedly caused by food poisoning.
“The rate at which the recruits are dying at the Army depot in Zaria has never been heard of before. Within two weeks, we've lost up to 14 recruits following the outbreak of a strange disease caused by food poisoning,” a military source had told SaharaReporters.
“Right now, over 80 other recruits are hospitalised. The army chief should visit the training ground and see by himself, it’s so sad.”
Efforts to get Maj. Gen. Abdullahi on his mobile phone for comment failed as he hung up immediately our reporter mentioned SaharaReporters. Subsequent efforts made to reach him failed.
Recently, the Nigerian Army authorities detained a General over the alleged diversion of palliative rice meant for soldiers and the sale of military equipment to scrap yards.
The suspect, Brig.-Gen. M.A. Sadiq, who was Commander 3 Brigade, Kano, was said to have been invited to Abuja by the military police where he was detained.
English (US) ·