The Nigerian Army says it would conduct a comprehensive investigation into allegations made by a female soldier.
The female soldier serving in Lagos State, had, in a viral video accused some senior male officers of maltreatment.
She alleged that they had been oppressing her since she was posted to Cantonment Medical Centre, Ojo, Lagos, in 2022, for refusing their sexual advances.
She identified them as Col. IB Abdulkareem, Col. GS Ogor and Brig. Gen. IB Solebo.
According to her, she had been locked up several times for no reason, ejected from her apartment, locked up in a psychiatric hospital for a month without any medication with a claim that she had mental illness and her account frozen since February 2023 without salary for no reason.
Reacting in a statement on Friday, the Director of Army Public Relations, Maj. Gen. Nwachukwu Onyema, said the Army was investigating the allegations.
According to Onyema, the investigation was to ascertain the extent of her claims.
“The Nigerian Army has been inundated with audiovisuals making the rounds on social media of the unprofessional conduct of a female soldier in mufti who claimed to have been maltreated by some senior officers.
“It is instructive to state that, considering the gravity of the allegations, NA, as a disciplined force, will conduct a thorough investigation into the matter.
“It is crucial to point out that contrary to the claims made in the video, the soldier in question has not exhausted the laid-down procedure for seeking redress in the NA. This is aside from Human Rights and Gender Desks established in Army Headquarters and across NA formations, where complaints about human rights and gender issues are also entertained.
“The NA remains a professional force that self-regulates and conducts its activities in adherence to established rules and ethics while upholding the highest standards of discipline amongst personnel. We therefore encourage all personnel to always utilise the established channels for addressing grievances and concerns as a member of a noble and disciplined force,” Onyema said.
He said that appropriate actions would be taken in line with the findings of the investigation.
“We assure the general public that the NA as an institution is committed to upholding the integrity and morals of its personnel and as such, appropriate actions will be taken based on the findings of the investigation.
“We urge the public to allow the investigative process to take its course and refrain from making hasty judgments. The NA remains dedicated to serving our nation with honor and integrity,” the statement added.
