Nigerian military authorities say they have sentenced 12 soldiers to death by firing squad for attempting to kill their commanding officer during a mutiny in the country’s northeastern region earlier this year.

Authorities say the men shot at Major-General Ahmed Mohammed’s official car at a barracks in Maiduguri, an area where Boko Haram militants remain very active.

The court martial also found the soldiers guilty of insubordination and the use of abusive language, as well as obstructing the evacuation of dead colleagues who died in an ambush.  

Nigeria’s military, backed by warplanes, has been fighting to push back advances by Boko Haram. But troops have complained about what they say is a lack of equipment and support – an issue that reportedly angered the 12 soldiers.

 
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