By Emmanuel OGBECHE
Indications emerged Sunday that a female soldier of the Nigerian Army will spend the Christmas festivities in detention as the Army hierarchy determines her fate.
The soldier courted trouble when she accepted a proposal from a serving corps member at the NYSC orientation camp in Yikpata, Kwara state.
The Director of Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, on Sunday, confirmed the detention of the soldier and explained that she violated military laws by getting involved in a public display of amorous relationship with a paramilitary trainee – a corps member.
In a video clip on social media, the corper could be seen proposing to the soldier in camouflage on the camp parade showing the yet-to-be-identified corps member holding a ring as he curtseyed to ask the female soldier to marry him.
The visibly excited spinster, in military uniform, accepted the young graduate’s proposal and the latter went on to insert the ring in his love interest’s finger. The lovebirds later locked themselves in a warm embrace and kissed passionately to the cheery applause of other corps members.
In an interview with The Punch Newspapers on Sunday, Nwachukwu was quoted as saying that the female soldier violated the Nigerian Army’s rules and regulations guiding the codes of conduct of military personnel when deployed for duty.
The Army spokesman alleged that the female soldier’s action amounted to taking advantage of her trainee, noting that the public would have been outraged and accused the Army of coercion had a male soldier proposed to a female corper during NYSC parade.
He said, “The female soldier in question violated the following rules of the NA:
“1. Fraternization while on official duty at the NYSC camp. That is, indulging in an amorous relationship with a trainee.
“2. A personnel must have served for three years before he/she can qualify for marriage.
“3. She disobeyed the Armed Forces of Nigeria standing guidelines and directives for the use of Social Media.
“4. Indulging in romance while in uniform.
“5. 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.”
The Army spokesman, however, declined comments on the likely punishment the female soldier might get but said “the Nigerian Military like all others, has its disciplinary codes, distinct from that of the general society. Every personnel have voluntarily undertaken to be bound by this code.”
