A General Court Martial (GCM) sitting at the Headquarters, 82 Division of the Nigerian Army has sentenced a soldier, Adamu Mohammed, to death by hanging for the murder of his girlfriend, Hauwa Ali.
The verdict was delivered by the President of the Court, Brigadier General Sadisu Buhari, who stated that Mohammed was found guilty of murder — a capital offence under Section 106 (a) of the Armed Forces Act, Cap A20 LFN 2004.
“In the interest of societal decorum and justice for the deceased, the law had to be applied to its fullest,” Buhari said during the court session.
Mohammed had been in military detention since April 2024 after the body of Hauwa Ali was discovered inside the Airborne and Amphibious section of the division, where he was stationed. The discovery was made by the daughter of a lieutenant residing in the officers’ quarters.
The incident sparked public outcry, with many questioning Mohammed’s background. Rumours circulated suggesting that the soldier was a former Boko Haram member who joined the Civilian Joint Task Force and was later recruited into the Nigerian Army in 2021. However, the Army firmly denied those claims.
“The Nigerian Army did not and does not enlist repentant terrorists into its service,” said Army spokesperson Major General Onyema Nwachukwu in a press statement aimed at addressing the controversy.
The conviction has reignited public discussion on military recruitment processes and the conduct of personnel within military formations.
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