The Nigerian Army on Sunday confirmed the detention of an unnamed female soldier who struck a love relationship with a male corps member at the National Youth Service Corps orientation camp in Yikpata, Kwara State.
The relationship had culminated in the youth corp member taking it to the next level with an exchange of ring.
The Director of Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, according to sundry media reports, said the female officer violated military laws by getting involved in a public display of amorous relationship with a paramilitary trainee – a corps member.
One of the pictures and video clips doing the rounds online shows the yet-to-be-identified corps member on the camp’s parade ground holding a ring as he knelt to ask the female soldier to marry him.
Some other corps members witnessed the event amid pomp.
The female officer had accepted the proposal by the Corps member, validating the acceptance with an embrace and a kiss to boot.
The Army spokesperson said the female soldier violated the Nigerian Army’s rules and regulations guiding the codes of conduct of military operatives when deployed in duty.
Nwachukwu said the female soldier’s action amounted to taking advantage of her trainee.
He said that the public would have been outraged and accused the Army of coercion had a male soldier proposed to a female youth corps member 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 spokesperson did not indicate the likely sanction(s) the Army would impose on thenfemale soldier.
He only reiterated the fact that “the Nigerian Military like all others, has its disciplinary codes, distinct from that of the general society. Every personnel has voluntarily undertaken to be bound by this code.”
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