Ransome-Kuti was arrested in January 2015 and tried by a special court martial for cowardice, while serving as Commander of a Joint Multinational Task Force in Baga, Borno State.

In a statement by the spokesman of the Army Headquarters Garrison, Col. Aliyu Yusuf, he said the council confirmed the decision of the court martial but decided to review the punishment.

Yusuf said the council commuted his dismissal from the Nigerian Army to demotion from the rank of a Brigadier-General to the rank of Colonel.

He said the Army Council quashed his conviction and award of six months imprisonment by the court martial to not guilty, discharged and acquitted.

It is believed 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 the new development.