The Nigerian Army has dismissed Lance Corporal Kenewenimo Lokoja (12NA/67/3446) for allegedly stealing a colleague’s mobile phone while on an army-sponsored course.
Sources revealed that Lokoja, who had recently been promoted to the rank of Corporal, was set to be decorated with his new rank just days before his dismissal last week.
“He was dismissed a day before his decoration as a Corporal for stealing a phone during the course,” the source confirmed.
This incident highlights ongoing disciplinary challenges within the military. A few months earlier, SaharaReporters had detailed a similar case involving Private Yahaya Sani, who stabbed his colleague, Private Aliyu Musa, in Enugu over a phone theft accusation.
Sani, attached to the 74 Supply and Transportation Brigade under the Nigerian Army’s 82nd Division, allegedly accused Musa of stealing his phone. The confrontation escalated when Musa insisted that Sani was the last person with him before the phone disappeared.
The altercation, which occurred while they were returning from New Artisan Market in Enugu, led to Sani disarming Musa and stabbing him in the head with a dagger. Musa is currently receiving treatment at the 82 Division Military Hospital, while Sani remains in custody pending further investigation.
These incidents underscore the need for stricter measures to address misconduct and uphold discipline within the ranks of the Nigerian Army.
