Army demotes late Fela’s nephew

Late Fela’s nephew was demoted to the rank of a Colonel- a rank below his original rank.

Ransome-Kuti was jailed for six monthsafter allowing weapons to fall into the hands of Boko Haram Islamists during a deadly attack on Friday.

There are insinuations that the letter written by Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana,threatening to sue the Chief of Army staff (COAS) Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, might have resulted to this new development.

Punch reports that Buratai, in a letter, dated March 1, 2016, directed that the Senior Officer be released from custody.

An excerpt of the COAS’ letter obtained from Punch reads: “Consequently, I am directed to inform you that Reference B has conveyed to the headquarters that the Army Council in its last meeting on Feb 22, 2016 confirmed the conviction of the accused senior officer on Count 2 but commuted the sentence of dismissal to reduction in rank from brigadier-general to colonel.

“The council also quashed the findings of guilt and award of six months imprisonment awarded by the SCM on Count 3 and replaced same with a finding of ‘not guilty’. The senior officer was thus discharged and acquitted on Count 3.”

“Accordingly, I am directed to request AHQ to release the senior officer from close custody. I am to also request AHQ MS to post him out of jurisdiction.”

Colonel Enitan Ransome Kuti was charged for cowardly behaviour, failure to perform military duties and miscellaneous offences relating to service property.