According to the Nigerian army, a female soldier who accepted a marriage proposal from a corps member broke multiple rules of engagement.
The incident occurred at the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Yikpata orientation camp in Kwara. In a news release, army spokesman Brig.-Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu defended her detention.
He said that while on official duty, the soldier was fraternizing and indulging in romance while in uniform.
The soldier’s behavior, according to the army spokesman, was detrimental to good order and military discipline.
If the soldier had been a man, the public would have regarded his actions as him abusing a corps member entrusted to his care, according to the army.
“The female soldier in question violated the following rules of the NA. 1. Fraternisation while on official duty at the NYSC camp. That is, indulging in amorous relationship with a trainee,” the statement read.
“2. A personnel must have served for 3 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. As a 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 same applies here. 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.”
