Hannah Sofiat A, a female soldier who accepted a marriage proposal from a member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) at the Orientation Camp in Yikpata, Kwara State, will be punished for flouting the army’s internal code of conduct and rules.
In viral video clips, Sofiat can be seen gleefully accepting to marry a yet-to-be-identified corps member who had gone down on one knee on a sun-parched earth.
Sofiat would go on to accept this young graduate’s ring, as cheers and applause from other corps members rang round them.
In another clip, the corps member was seen wearing Sofiat’s military cap as she stood behind him in admiration.
Another image shows Sofiat and this corps member locked in an embrace so warm, the army high command has been left reeling and seething.
“The female soldier in question violated the following rules of the Nigerian Army: fraternisation while on official duty at the NYSC camp.
“That is, indulging in an amorous relationship with a trainee,” The Director of Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, tells Punch newspaper.
The General adds that army “personnel must have served for three years before he/she can qualify for marriage.
“She disobeyed the Armed Forces of Nigeria standing guidelines and directives for the use of Social Media. Indulging in romance while in uniform.
“Her conduct was prejudicial to good order and military discipline.
“All the above, if proven are in violation of extant laws with attendant disciplinary and penal implications.
“As personnel, her task was to train the Youth Corps members and not to indulge in amorous relationship with any of them.
“These rules were put in place for the purpose of proper administration and discipline in the Army. If I may ask, what if the soldier was a male? How would the public have perceived his action? Definitely, it would have been perceived as taking advantage of a female Corper, a trainee, put in his care for training.
“The Nigerian military, like all others, has its disciplinary codes, distinct from that of the general society. All personnel have voluntarily undertaken to be bound by this code.”
Human Rights activists have kicked off a campaign, demanding that Sofiat be set free by the army authorities.
Politician and #RevolutionNow campaigner Omoyele Sowore, writes that: “#FreeSofiat HQ Nigerian Army is illegally holding Army Private Hannah Sofiat A, her offence was accepting a marriage proposal from her National Youth Corps Service (NYSC) lover at a Mammy Market in Ilorin.
“There is no law that prevents anyone from accepting a marriage proposal in military uniform but as it is typical of the pre-civilization Nigerian military, she was clamped into detention at Sobi Military Cantonment in Ilorin, Kwara state.
“The Nigerian military must release Sofiat asap and apologise to her for illegal detention. #RevolutionNow.”
It is unclear for how long Sofiat has been detained, at the time of filing this report.
