PROPER CHANNEL OF SEEKING REDRESS IN THE NIGERIAN MILITARY

Hardly a day passes these days without the media carrying what it purports to be complaints purportedly made by some soldier or soldiers against their commanding or superior officers. Such complaints often border on welfare issues like alleged short payment of earned allowance or being deployed to fight the enemy with inferior weapons. In an organization such as the military that is like a family, such publications constitute an ill-wind that blows no one any good.

The Nigerian Military is out to provide justice to all Nigerians including the civilians. The Army for instance, has established a department at Army Headquarters that receives and takes care of complaints from civilians on human rights violations and sundry issues concerning civil- military relations. The same department is replicated at Divisional Headquarters as human rights desks. The Nigerian Air force has similar services under the department of Ombudsman. For the military personnel, The Armed Forces Act Cap A20, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (AFA) provides occasions when members of the military family can submit any complaint against their commanding officer or any other military authority to the appropriate superior authority.