By Nkechi Eze
The Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Gwabin Musa, has described the unveiling of a new book on military law as a timely and strategic contribution to the far-reaching reforms currently underway in the Nigerian Armed Forces. The book, Justice in the Nigerian Armed Forces: Law and Practice, authored by retired Colonel Ukpe Ukpe Sam, was formally presented at the Defence Headquarters in Abuja before a distinguished audience of Service Chiefs, senior officers, academics, and legal practitioners.
In his remarks, General Musa said the publication captures the realities of modern military operations where personnel are often required to balance strict adherence to human rights obligations with the operational demands of defending the nation. He reaffirmed that while discipline remains the cornerstone of military effectiveness, justice must also provide fair protection to the troops who risk their lives daily in defence of Nigeria. “It is always important that we strike a balance between the military and the law. Our troops operate in environments where human rights concerns often intersect with their duties. This book provides insight into how justice can be dispensed fairly while protecting soldiers who risk their lives daily,” the CDS noted.
The author, Colonel Sam (Rtd), who drew extensively from his decades-long experience in court-martial proceedings, explained that the work was born out of the need to bridge glaring gaps in the current military justice framework. He observed that the Nigerian Armed Forces still rely heavily on outdated manuals dating back to 1972, which no longer address the complexities of modern military service. He therefore called for harmonization of court-martial rules across the Army, Navy, and Air Force in line with the recently enacted Harmonized Armed Forces Act 2024. “This book is my modest contribution to the Nigerian military, an institution to which I devoted my entire career. If reforms are carried out under the current leadership, history will remember this era as a turning point in our military justice system,” Colonel Sam said.
Reviewing the book, Professor Adamu Ibrahim of the Faculty of Law, Adamawa State University, described it as a landmark contribution to the development of military jurisprudence in Nigeria. He explained that the 18-chapter volume provides a detailed exploration of the evolution of military law, summary trials, court-martial processes, post-trial reviews, and the practical challenges faced by officials of the military justice system. According to him, the book is not only valuable to the Armed Forces but will also serve as a useful resource for judges, legal scholars, researchers and students, while correcting long-standing misconceptions about the fairness of military justice and court-martial proceedings.
The ceremony ended with strong calls for wider circulation of the book across military libraries, training institutions and research centers to aid the process of reforming Nigeria’s military justice system. Attendees described the launch as a milestone moment in the effort to modernise the legal and institutional frameworks guiding discipline in the Armed Forces, ensuring that justice remains not only a shield for the nation but also a protection for those who defend it.
