The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), has said he had no intention of sparing the 10 soldiers named as accomplices in the August 6, 2019 killing of three policemen in Taraba State.

The soldiers who are suspected to be aiding  criminal activities in the state allegedly killed men of the IGP's special squad who had successfully arrested a notorious kidnap kingpin, Hamisu Bala, aka Wadume and were trying to move him from Ibi in Taraba state to Abuja.

The soldiers stationed in the 93 Battalion in Takum in Taraba state also killed two civilians who helped the police in the arrest, and freed Wadume.

The kidnap kingpin who was rearrested in Kano weeks later is now facing  prosecution for kidnapping and other related offences, alongside some of his gang members and accomplices.

There has been uproar over Malami's withdrawal of the 10 soldiers from the on going prosecution at the Federal High Court, with many accusing him of trying to shield them from the law.

The AGF however told State House correspondents on Wednesday that the soldiers would still have their days in court after they must have gone through the military’s internal disciplinary process.

Malami said that there was no plan to shield the soldiers from prosecution.

“On the issue of the soldiers, it is important for you to note that within the context of the Nigerian law, there are certain provisions that are exclusive to the military within the context of law on court martial and then the internal discipline associated with the military.

“The soldiers can now be charged before court martial and then for the military to release their personnel for prosecution. Ordinarily, there are in-house processes and procedures that are to be consummated. So, those that are handy for the purpose of prosecution cannot be held in custody for an unduly longer period of time on account of the absence of the military," he said.

Malami said it was based on this that the idea of severing the charge to allow those that were available to stand trial came up.

That, he explained, did not mean that soldiers were being "shielded and cannot be prosecuted