After Boko Haram war, my mum feds me -Soldier

A dismissed soldier, Okezie Chukwuebuka, has revealed that after the number of battles he had waged on behalf of Nigeria, his payback was dismissal and becoming dependent on his mother.

Chukwuebuka was arrested for alleged robbery by the Abia State Police Command. He had, however, denied the allegation, insisting that he was not an armed robber; neither is he a fake soldier.

The police alleged that Chukwuebuka was arrested in Abia State, Umuahia, for allegedly terrorizing residents of the city, using army uniform.

According to him, “I’m not a fake soldier. I’m just a dismissed one. I was part of soldiers’ court marshaled by the army in 2016 and dismissed. This camouflage is the only uniform of my former profession, which he had left at home after I was dismissed.”

Narrated how he came to be in police custody, the ex-soldier said: “I had a quarrel with a friend, and out of annoyance, I collected his phone. He reported me to the police.”

The Abia State Commissioner of Police, Mr Leye Oyebade, said that Chukwuebuka was arrested on June 12, after one Stephen Nwokenna reported that he was robbed of his Gionee M2 phone valued at N28, 000, along Uzuakoli road Umuahia on June 11.  

Police allegedly recovered a cheque book and cheque book leaflets from the suspects. Some of the cheque book leaflets were already signed and ready to be cashed. The police also allegedly retrieved cash from him.

Nwokenna noted that three men and a lady, one of whom was dressed in a military uniform robbed him of his phone.

Oyebade said: “The suspects confessed to being members of a gang terrorizing residents of the capital city and dispossessing them of their valuable.”

Two other suspects arrested along with Chukwuebuka are Ugonma Arisa Kalu and Nwadi Paul. Although police alleged that Kalu and Paul are part of the Chukwuebuka’s gang, but the suspect denied.

Chukwuebuka exonerated the two, saying: “These people are not involved in anything; I met them just two weeks ago. They are just my friends.”  

Recalling his fights against the dreaded Islamic set Boko Haram and his eventual dismissal from the army, Chukwuebuka noted: “Some of my colleagues in the army and I, were dismissed for running away from the firing line, in the middle of battle with Boko Haram, in Maiduguri. We all ran because we had no ammunition. Since my dismissal, my mum, who lives in Onitsha, with my father, had responsible for my upkeep. We have been appealing to the Federal Government to review our case. We should be given another chance.”

Chukwuebuka denied knowledge of the cheque book and cheque leaflets. He explained that the money found on him, belonged to him.

According to the second suspect, Paul, the cheque book leaflets belonged to his mother, who owns a cement shop where he sells for her. Paul claimed that some of the cheque book leaflets were signed by his mother. He denied being a member of any gang.

Stating her own side of the story, Ugonmma, said she worked as a stylist and met the soldier only two weeks ago. She described him as just a friend. She said she was not aware that the man was not a fake soldier nor that he was involved in any criminal act.