Nigerian Army brainstorms on stamping out threats of substance abuse, sexual malfeasance in service

Iyede Idris

Nigerian Army perceiving the threats of drug abuse, abnormal sexual behaviour among its personnel, has gathered at the Army Resource Centre in a 2 – Day Conference to stamp out the scourge from the service.

The Chief of Defense Staff (CDS), Lt. Gen. Christopher Musa in his opening remark at the conference, expressed delight in welcoming audience including both the military and non – military resource persons, charging them to brainstorm on ways of stamping out the scourge in the operating environment, riddled with multifaceted challenges militating against military operational efficiency.

Chief of Defense Staff(CDS) who was represented by Real Admiral MK Unuhviere, urged the participants to the conference, to help in developing comprehensive approach to ridgig obsolete Rules of Procedure on Substance Abuse and Sexual Malfeasance among the three arms of the service.

Lt. Gen. Musa said, “the Armed Forces of Nigeria is not spared from growing global debates on substance abuse and homosexuality. Evidently, the responsibility of outlining clear policies and guidance in handling these matters whilst administering our personnel cannot and must not be shirked.This is more so considering the massive negative effects these twin issues could have on morale and operational effectiveness”.

The conference with the theme: Enhancing Justice and Discipline; Harmonizing Court Martial Procedures and Addressing Substance Abuse and Homosexuality in the Armed Forces of Nigeria’ later splited into three committees under the chairmenship of Squadron leader Abdulsalam, Group Capt. Babatunde and Col. A Ugwanyi respectively.

Maj. Gen. Shalangwa (Rtd), a senior legal officer who once led an Army prosecuting committee as secretary, decried the past indifference among past military leadership in prosecuting offenders in drug abuse and Homosexuality, which created fertile ground for the present growing threat not only among Army but Naval and Air force personnel of the service.

Maj. Gen. Shalangwa (Rtd) was collaborated in retrospect, on the intensity of the scourges, limited sensitization, the alarming effect of tobacco, marijuana, heroin and similar drugs and non specific timing for prosection, rehabilitation and inconsistent legal framework for Court marshaling the offenders in substance Abuse and sodomy.

Besides the military personnel, non military professionals and resource persons who dissected the causative, legal loopholes,
past defective management proferred solutions to the menace at the conference.

The resource persons were aligned to common resolutions capable of yeilding sustainable remedy to the worrison issues of drug abuse and Homosexuality in the service and indeed, within the nation.

Among the resolutions reached at the conference includes, proper review of legal framework to address the gaps, inconsistencies, and harmonisation of laws that would guide the personnel of the three arms of the service; robust reporting system for quick detection of offenders; education and awareness creation; official periodic and random testing for personnel and fair hearing for offenders.

Other resolutions includes, establishment of Independent Central Registry; Electronic Data Base for monitoring of identified offenders in their places of posting; plea bargaining option for offenders; costs of testing for offenders and management to be bore by the service, even as the offenders in both crimes including sellers, couriers, hoarders, those aiding and abating in drugs and Homosexuality must face same timely prosecution.