June 4, 2024
A top military source told Ajapareporter.com on Tuesday said Mohammed “was taken to Kuje without a proper warrant from the military tribunal that jailed him”.
The Nigerian Army authorities have finally issued a warrant to commit a former Group Managing Director and Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Army Properties Limited, Maj. Gen. Umaru Muazu Mohammed, to prison.
Mohammed’s warrant of committal to prison came a week after he was illegally put in Kuje Prison.
A top military source told SaharaReporters on Tuesday said Mohammed “was taken to Kuje without a proper warrant from the military tribunal that jailed him”.
“He has been kept in detention since January 2022 and was taken to Kuje Prison on May 2, 2024,” the source added.
According to the source, the military managed to “find the illegal warrant after Mohammed had spent a week in Kuje Prison”.
In October 2023, Mohammed, who was court-martialed for fraud and found guilty of stealing over $430,000, was sentenced to seven years in prison.
The Special Court Martial set up by the Nigerian Army also ordered Mohammed to return the sum of $2,178,900 and N1.65 billion to the Army properties and NAPL.
The Special Court-Martial had found the military officer guilty of 14 out of 18 counts brought against him, which included stealing, forgery, conspiracy, theft, and unauthorised diversion of army property.
In May 2023, SaharaReporters exclusively reported that Maj. Gen. Mohammed was being court-martialled in Abuja for allegations bordering on fraud and stealing.
Sources however told SaharaReporters that Mohammed had opened up a can of worms as the senior military officer narrated how former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai (retd.) allowed the sale of houses by the NAPL to politicians and Very Important Personalities (VIPs) at a ridiculous 75 per cent discount.
Mohammed is a former ally of Buratai, who spent five years and five months in office. SaharaReporters learnt that he revealed during his cross-examination that Buratai had directed him to allocate the houses in question to civilians.
SaharaReporters learnt from top sources at the court-martial that Mohammed further revealed that the VIPs and politicians were relations and friends of the then-First Lady, Aisha Buhari, who were used as beneficiaries to receive the houses on her behalf as gifts from Buratai.
Sources had told SaharaReporters that Mohammed was being punished at the behest of Buratai with whom he was involved in illegalities and shady dealings, carried out on the orders of the former Army chief while he was in office.
As the officer in charge of NAPL, Mohammed controlled army properties across the country.
SaharaReporters had reported that while being court-martialled, Mohammed, who had been arrested and held in secret detention since January 2022, confessed that Buratai asked him to pay $730,000 to obtain Saudi Arabia citizenship for him (Buratai) in order to evade justice for the atrocities committed by the army while he was the chief of staff.
Among the charges was the collection of huge sums of money paid by shipping companies for the use of the Nigerian Army Jetty located at No 6 Marina, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Maj. Gen. Mohammed was found guilty of the theft of $430,800 being monies paid into the Nigerian Army Domiciliary account at Unity Bank, Abuja for the use of Nigerian Army Jetty, Marina, VI, Lagos
He was found guilty of withdrawing and confiscating the sum of N74 million out of N75 million paid for a property belonging to the Nigerian Army at Ikoyi, Lagos.
A copy of the warrant obtained by SaharaReporters dated April 30, 2024 is titled, ‘Warrant Of Committal Of Convicted Nigerian Army Personnel To Nigerian Correctional Service – Former Major General Umaru M. Mohammed (N/8656).’
The warrant was signed by O.J. Akpor for the Chief of Army Staff and addressed to the Comptroller General, Nigerian Correctional Service, National Headquarters, Abuja.
It was copied to the Office of the Chief of Army Staff, Army Headquarters Department of Standards and Evaluation, Army Headquarters Department of Military Secretary, Army Headquarters Garrison and the Headquarters Nigerian Army Signals.
Others are the Headquarters Nigerian Army Intelligence Corps, Headquarters Nigerian Army Corps of Military Police, Headquarters Nigerian Army Finance Corps, Headquarters Directorate of Legal Services (Army), Army Headquarters Garrison Military Intelligence Brigade, Army Headquarters Garrison Provost Group and Army Headquarters Garrison Legal Services.
The warrant noted that the “convicted senior officer was arraigned on 18 Counts Charge with 7 charges in the alternative”.
It noted that Mohammed was not found guilty on counts (Counts 7, 10, 11 and 17), while he was found guilty and convicted on the other 14 charges.
It listed the charges as, “Count 1. Stealing contrary to Section 383(1), punishable under Section 390(7) of the Criminal Code Act CAP C38 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004: He was sentenced to 5 Years Imprisonment.
“Count 2. Stealing contrary to Section 383(1), punishable under Section 390(7) of the Criminal Code Act CAP C38 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004. He was sentenced to 5 Years Imprisonment.
“Count 3. Stealing contrary to Section 383(1), punishable under Section 390(7) of the Criminal Code Act CAP C38 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004. He was sentenced to 5 Years Imprisonment.
“Count 4. Stealing contrary to Section 383(1), punishable under Section 390(7) of the Criminal Code Act CAP C38 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004. He was sentenced to 5 Years Imprisonment.
“Count 5. Stealing contrary to Section 383(1), punishable under Section 390(7) of the Criminal Code Act CAP C38 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004. He was sentenced to 5 Years Imprisonment.
“Count 6. Stealing contrary to Section 383(1), punishable under Section 390(7) of the Criminal Code Act CAP C38 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004. He was sentenced to 5 Years Imprisonment.
“Count 8. Forgery contrary to Section 362(a) and punishable under Section 364 of the Penal Code Laws of Northern Nigeria 1963 CAP 89. He was sentenced to 7 Years Imprisonment.
“Count 9. Theft contrary to Section 286(1), punishable under Section 287 of the Penal Code Laws of Northern Nigeria 1963 CAP 89. He was sentenced to 5 Years Imprisonment.
“Count 12. Conduct to the Prejudice of Service Discipline punishable under Section 103(1) of the Armed Forces Act CAP A20 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004. He was sentenced to 2 Years Imprisonment.
“Count 13. Theft contrary to Section 286(1), punishable under Section 287 of the Penal Code Laws of Northern Nigeria 1963 CAP 89. He was sentenced to 5 Years Imprisonment.
“Count 14. Criminal Misappropriation contrary to Section 308, punishable under Section 309 of the Penal Code Laws of Northern Nigeria 1963 CAP 89. He was sentenced to 2 Years Imprisonment.
“Count 15. Criminal Misappropriation contrary to Section 308, punishable under Section 309 of the Penal Code Laws of Northern Nigeria 1963 CAP 89. He was sentenced to 2 Years Imprisonment.
“Count 16. Criminal Misappropriation contrary to Section 308, punishable under Section 309 of the Penal Code Laws of Northern Nigeria 1963 CAP 89. He was sentenced to 2 Years Imprisonment.
“Count 18. Criminal Misappropriation contrary to Section 308, punishable under Section 309 of the Penal Code Laws of Northern Nigeria 1963 CAP 89. He was sentenced to 2 Years Imprisonment.”
It further noted that the “Army Council further confirmed the sentences of imprisonment awarded to the senior officer on each count as detailed above to run concurrently with effect from 10 October 2023”.
It added, “The confirmation was conveyed vide AHQ DOAA/G1/300/197 dated 23 April 2024. Although the Army Council confirmed the sentences and awards of imprisonment against the senior officer on 28 March 2024, pursuant to Section 157 of the AFA, the prison term commenced on 10 October 2023, being the date judgment was passed by the Special Court Martial.
“In view of the foregoing, you are please requested to accept the convicted senior officer, former Major General Umaru M Mohammed (N/8656) into prison custody to serve the sentence of 7 Years Imprisonment awarded against him with effect from 10 October 2023.
“This is in line with the provisions of Section 167(1) of the Armed Forces Act CAP A20 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004. This letter shall serve as your warrant for his imprisonment.”
