Army Major commits suicide hours to court martial verdict

A Nigerian Army former battalion commanding officer who led the fight against Boko Haram in the North-East, Major UJ Undianyede, has reportedly committed suicide 72 hours to the verdict of a Court Martial.

The martial is trying him for an alleged military infraction during the war.

Multiple sources in the Nigerian Army and residents of Afaka Mando, the permanent site of the Nigeria Defence Academy (NDA), also confirmed the incident.

Major UJ Undianyede took his life inside the premises of the NDA.

The sad incident occurred three days to a court martial verdict where he was reportedly standing trial for military infractions.

“The people close to the Major say his last posting was as a battalion commanding officer in the North East where he was among those leading the fight against Boko Haram,” a source said.

In prosecuting the war, the Major with some of his colleagues allegedly committed some infractions for which he was being tried at the 1 Division in Kaduna.

The judgment of the court martial was reportedly fixed for tomorrow, May 19, but he killed himself on Monday, May 16 at the NDA with his service pistol.

Military sources say the offences that the court martial in the 1 Division was handling include; misappropriation of funds, abandonment of military post, insubordination, desertion and other offences.

The son of a former Chief of Army Staff is said to be among the officers facing the court martial.

It is not clear if the impending verdict of the court martial was the reason for the suicide of the Major or a post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) since he had been in the North East for quite a while battling Boko Haram.

A Course 55 Regular Officer, Major Undianyede and other members of that class were said to be due for promotion to the rank Lieutenant Colonel this September, but ended his life on Monday evening.

The Major killed himself while returning from an exercise with cadets at the new site of the NDA in Afaka, Mando.