Adefuye tells Buhari to free convicted soldiers

The Olugbon of Lagos, Senator Anthony Adefuye, has appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to give total amnesty to the soldiers who have been handed 10-year jail terms. In a press release titled Boko Haram Insurgency, THE SIXTY-SIX HITHERTO CONDEMNED SOLDIERS WHOSE SENTENCE NOW COMMUTED TO 10-YEAR JAIL IMPRISONMENT, Adefuye first of all thanked President Buhari for reviewing the cases of the soldiers. “I want to thank Mr President for reviewing the sentences of these unfortunate soldiers,” he said. “If not for your coming, they would have been executed.” Continuing, he said, “Mr President, I want to appeal that these soldiers be given total amnesty. In recent times, my telephone has been bombarded with messages from some of these condemned soldiers who want me to plead on their behalf. I then asked them to give me one reason why I should plead further for total amnesty, and they gave me several reasons. “In view of recent revelations, that the $2.1 billion meant to equip our soldiers was diverted into private pockets, I therefore plead that these unfortunate soldiers be given full amnesty. They should be allowed to go home and spend the Xmas with their families. If Dasuki and others who diverted the funds are going to spend Xmas with their families, then these soldiers deserve to jubilate with their own families. “It will not be morally justifiable to convict these soldiers who refused to run away or commit suicide at the front but merely demanded to be equipped to fight the insurgents. Knowing full well that it’s those who pocketed the $2.1 billion equipments fund who convicted these soldiers, the conviction should be considered null and void. “If these soldiers had not spoken up, maybe the $2.1 billion would never have been detected stolen, as the death silence was to silence them forever. It’s those who stole the equipment fund who should be court-martialled for diversion of funds and sabotage. “If those who deserted the army at that time are now being recalled, why then jail these brave unfortunate soldiers who decided to expose what was really happening at the war front? “I therefore use this Xmas season to plead for full amnesty for these soldiers, and I want to heartily thank you, Mr President, for exposing the culprits and letting Nigerians know the truth and for saving the lives of these soldiers, as if not for you, it would have been all over for them.”