The Nigerian Army has dismissed the two soldiers, John Gabriel and Lance Cpl Adamu Gideon, who allegedly killed an Islamic scholar, Sheikh Goni Aisami, in Yobe.
Acting Commanding Officer, 241 RECCE Battalion Nguru, Yobe, Lt. Col. Ibrahim Osabo, revealed this on Saturday shortly after the suspects were de-kitted.
He added that the dismissed soldiers would be handed over to the Nigeria Police for prosecution.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the suspects, who may face murder charges, were reduced from Lance Corporal to private soldiers before their dismissal.
Osabo said, “We are taking them to our sector headquarters in Damaturu, the sector commander will then officially hand them over to the Nigeria Police to face civil prosecution. They no longer represent Nigerian Army.”
He condemned the action of the soldiers, noting that it was not a true reflection of the Nigerian Army personnel.
“I want to assure you that we are law abiding citizens and we are ready to dispense justice on anybody who is found wanting, irrespective of position or rank,” he added.
Sheikh Aisami was recently murdered by the soldiers, who were in mufti when they approached him for a free ride from Gashua to Nguru in Yobe State.
Among several others, President Muhammadu Buhari had condemned the killing, calling on the military authorities to punish the perpetrators of the heinous crime without delay, and flush out other elements with such criminal tendencies.