The Nigerian Army has declared 43 soldiers wanted for reportedly abandoning their deployment in Borno State, where they were stationed to combat Boko Haram insurgents. These soldiers, assigned to the 403 Amphibious Brigade in Baga under the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), were expected to report for duty by October 31, 2024, but their failure to do so has resulted in disciplinary actions.
In response, military authorities have frozen the bank accounts of the soldiers and have alerted other army formations across the country, urging them to detain these individuals if they are sighted. Additionally, instructions have been issued for any soldier with knowledge of the absentees’ whereabouts to inform military authorities immediately.
This incident highlights a broader challenge within the Nigerian military, as there has been an increasing trend of resignations, particularly among soldiers deployed in the North-East. Many soldiers have expressed dissatisfaction, citing prolonged deployments and morale issues as significant factors. Some personnel have reportedly shown interest in joining foreign military forces, including those in the United Kingdom and Ukraine, further underscoring the pressing morale concerns within the ranks.
Despite these challenges, the Nigerian Army has reiterated that its processes for voluntary discharge are transparent and follow established guidelines, enabling soldiers to exit service through formal channels. Nevertheless, the ongoing cases of soldiers abandoning their posts continue to raise questions regarding the conditions they face on the frontlines.
The following personnel have been declared wanted:
Staff Sergeants (SSGT):
- SSGT NWACHUKWU CHRISTIAN - 91NA/32/4669
- SSGT DAVID OLAYINKA - 93NA/35/1542
- SSGT MOHAMMED IDRIS - 93NA/35/2265
- SSGT ALABI OLUBAYO - 93NA/35/2369
- SSGT DANIEL IKWUNE - 93NA/36/1534
- SSGT JUDE IBE - 93NA/36/1922
- SSGT HARUNA ARIYAK - 93NA/37/1136
- SSGT ISAH HARUNA - 93NA/37/1320
- SSGT NYAWUZOH NEDUM - 93NA/37/1876
- SSGT BARO DENNIS - 99NA/48/1375
- SSGT ODO CHIJIOKE - 99NA/93/2978
Sergeants (SGT): 12. SGT UCHENNA NNAMONU - 93NA/35/2842 13. SGT PATRICK OZOUGWU - 93NA/37/2171 14. SGT SALEH ADO - 95NA/40/2810 15. SGT LASISI JIMOH - 96NA/41/2758 16. SGT ABUBAKAR UMAR - 97NA/44/1368 17. SGT IKECHUKWU OKORO - 97NA/45/7133 18. SGT KEHINDE OLAWALE - 0INA/50/836 19. SGT YAKUBU MUSA - 03NA/53/2716 20. SGT AKUBO SOLOMON - 04NA/55/1792 21. SGT OGODO EMMANUEL - 05NA/56/940
Corporals (CPL): 22. CPL NKWOCHA KIZITO - 97NA/45/6980 23. CPL NWANGWU NDUKWE - 02NA/51/832 24. CPL TAJIRI IBRAHIM - 02NA/52/5146 25. CPL BULAMA MOHAMMED - 09NA/62/0384 26. CPL ABDUL UMAR - 09NA/62/0393 27. CPL CHUKWUDI OFOEGBU - 09NA/62/0409 28. CPL NASIRU ABDULLAHI - 09NA/64/4885 29. CPL AUTA DANIEL - 09NA/64/4892 30. CPL GARBA ZAHARADEEN - 09NA/64/4826 31. CPL ABUBAKAR ABDULLAHI - 12NA/68/5903 32. CPL MOHAMMED JIBRIL - 12NA/68/5981 33. CPL BOKI ESAU - 12NA/68/8452
Lance Corporals (LCPL): 34. LCPL ABUBAKAR BAPPAH - 10NA/65/7170 35. LCPL OGUNLANA JOSEPH - 13NA/69/0116 36. LCPL JACOB DANIEL - 15NA/74/4820 37. LCPL ABDULLAHI ABBA - 15NA/74/5356 38. LCPL WILLIAM MONDAY - 15NA/74/6056 39. LCPL MUSA ABUBAKAR - 15NA/74/6229
Privates (PTE): 40. PTE UMAR JA’AFAR - 19NA/78/0164 41. PTE APOCHI SOLOMON - 19NA/78/0186 42. PTE BASSEY GODWIN - 19NA/78/0299 43. PTE OYATOYE HAMMED - 19NA/78/0440
While the Nigerian Army intensifies efforts to address issues of desertion and maintain order within its ranks, the absence of these soldiers further complicates its mission to sustain peace and security in volatile regions like Borno State.
