The expected court martial of three Rear Admirals by the Nigeria Navy over their alleged roles in the missing bunkering ship, MT African Pride is scheduled to take place tomorrow at the Naval base Apapa, Lagos.
The court martial exercise which should have started a week ago was delayed due to logistic problems and the initial refusal of both the Air Force and Army to send in their representatives as members of the panel constituted for the exercise.
Investigation by Daily Trust revealed that all necessary arrangements to facilitate the court martial has been put in place, while the hitherto problems concerning the choice of venue for the court marital and acco-mmodation for the top ranking generals has also been addressed.
Members of the panel constituted include, Air Vice Marshal Sam Odesola, commandant of the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji, Kaduna who replaced Air Vice Marshal S. E. Hedima, Deputy Commandant of the Nigerian Defence Academy.
Rear Admiral Anthony Oni, Chief of Policy and Plans at the Naval Headquarters replaced Major General M. A. Garba, Commandant of the Armoured Centre and School, Nigeria Army Bauchi.
Defence sources told our correspondents that the two generals had pulled out because they were course mates with those to be tried and prefer to be left out of the whole exercise.
However, Daily Trust learnt that the Naval authorities have advised the three Rear Admirals facing trial to feel free to call for the removal of any officer who they feel could be biased against them during the trial process.
Other members of the panel are Rear Admiral Joseph Ayayi, Chief of Defence Intelligence who is president of the panel, Rear Admiral Amos Adedeji, commandant of the National War College, Major General Akpa, Chief of Policy and Plans Army headquarters and two commodores from the board of inquiry set up by the Naval headquarters to investigate the mystery of the missing ship.
It would be recalled that the chairman of navy committee, in the House of Representatives, Hon Tony Azieg-bemi described the court martial exercise as hasty since his committee was yet to submit its finding to the public.
Aziegbemi said whatever decision taken by the navy after the court martial would be reversed by its committee if found wanting.
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