Don, NBA Chief Unveil Book on Military Law, Say Constitution Bedrock of Armed Forces’ Powers

Onuminya Innocent in Sokoto

The Nigerian Constitution remains the bedrock of the country’s military jurisprudence, providing clear legal grounding for the roles, structure, and authority of the Armed Forces, Professor Ibrahim Abdullahi, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), has said.

Prof Abdullahi made the assertion in Sokoto during the public presentation of a new book he co-authored with Barrister Rashida Muhammad, Chairperson of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Sokoto State Chapter.

The book launch was held in honour of the Minister of State for Works, Barrister Muhammad Bello Goronyo, who was present at the event alongside senior lawyers, academics, and military officers.

Titled Military Law in Nigeria: A Quick Reference Guide to Practice and Procedure, the eight-chapter publication seeks to demystify military legal processes for both legal practitioners and the general public.

Speaking at the event, Prof Abdullahi explained that the work was conceived to bridge the knowledge gap between civilian legal practice and military justice administration.

He stressed that many Nigerians, including some law students, wrongly assume that military law operates outside the 1999 Constitution, whereas it derives its entire legitimacy from it.

According to him, Section 217 to Section 219 of the Constitution expressly establishes the Armed Forces and defines their command structure, while the Armed Forces Act operationalizes those constitutional provisions.

“The Constitution mandates the Nigerian military to defend the nation’s territorial integrity against external aggression and to perform such other duties as may be prescribed by an Act of the National Assembly,” Abdullahi told the audience.

He noted that internal mechanisms such as the court-martial system for trying erring personnel are not arbitrary but are fully provided for under Nigerian law and are subject to constitutional safeguards.

The Senior Advocate further pointed out that military law does not exempt the Armed Forces from respecting fundamental human rights, adding that the Constitution expects officers and men to uphold the rule of law in all operations.

He further said the book was written in simple, accessible language so that non-lawyers, journalists, and civil society actors could understand how military justice works.

He added that public trust in the military improves when citizens know that soldiers are also bound by law and can be held accountable through established legal channels.

On his part, the book reviewer Dr Ahmad Adams Okene of Nigeria Defense College , Abuja. Praised Prof Ibrahim Abdullahi and Barr, Rashida Muhammad for a job well done .

Okene recommended the book for the general public and Nigeria law students to enable them having knowledge in military law.

Also speaking, Sokoto State Governor Ahmed Aliyu, represented by his deputy, Engr Idris Gobir, said the book would serve as a vital reference for policymakers, security agencies, and students of law. He praised Prof Abdullahi and Barrister Muhammad for contributing to legal scholarship and for honouring Barrister Goronyo through the work.

Senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko, representing Sokoto North Senatorial District, commended the authors for producing a resource he described as “timely and necessary” for deepening civil-military understanding. He noted that clarity on military law helps strengthen democratic oversight and public confidence in the Armed Forces.

Guests at the launch commended the authors for what they described as a timely intervention, given ongoing conversations around civil-military relations and human rights in Nigeria.