Army rewards soldier ₦500,000 for rejecting kidnapper’s bribe

The Nigerian Army has rewarded a soldier, Private Utim Terwase, with ₦500,000 for reportedly turning down an alleged bribe from a suspected kidnapper in Plateau State.

Terwase was said to have apprehended the suspect following an attempted escape but refused to accept the ₦500,000 offered to secure his release.

Rather than compromise his duty, the soldier handed the suspect over to the appropriate authorities.

The cash reward was presented on behalf of the General Officer Commanding, 3 Division of the Nigerian Army, and Commander of Operation Enduring Peace, Major General Maxwell Dangana, by the Commander of Sector 6, Operation Enduring Peace, Colonel Philimon Malgwi, on Wednesday, Vanguard reports.

Speaking during the presentation, Dangana commended the soldier, saying his action demonstrated the level of discipline and commitment expected of military personnel.

“The soldier’s conduct reflects the highest standards of military professionalism, loyalty and commitment to duty expected of personnel of the Nigerian Army,” he said.

He said Terwase had shown honesty, accountability and selfless service by refusing to compromise his responsibility, adding that his conduct deserved recognition and should inspire other soldiers.

“Operation Enduring Peace therefore considers Private Terwase’s action worthy of commendation and encourages all personnel to emulate his exemplary conduct,” he said.

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The GOC urged officers and soldiers serving under Operation Enduring Peace to follow Terwase’s example, noting that the recognition was intended to promote integrity, accountability and professionalism in the discharge of their duties.

The ₦500,000 reward is equivalent to the amount the soldier reportedly refused to accept from the suspect.

In 2023, the Anambra State Police Command awarded a cash sum of N250,000 to a female police officer, Inspector Charity Oyor, for rejecting a bribe offered to her by a suspected cable thief in Onitsha.

Oyor was on traffic duty in the market on Wednesday, August 23, 2023, when she saw a shuttle bus carrying six heavy bundles of stripped armoured cable suspected to have been stolen driving past.

She stopped the driver and inquired about the “consignment” from the purported owner, who, rather than explain how he came to be in possession of the cable, offered her a bribe which she rejected.