By Martin Cole-
A video clip of a female Nigerian soldier assaulting a female member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Cross River State, Nigeria’s South-south, has gine viral and caused outrage among Nigerians.
The female member, Ifeyinwa Ezeiruaku, is seen in the 32-seconds clip, kneeling down, as the soldier, identified as Chika Anele, a lieutenant, scoops dirty water and then pours it all over her. The soldier slaps her victim after the horrifying assault.
Nigerian journalist and human rights activist, Agba Jalingo, had shared a video on his Facebook page showing the officer pouring the unknown white substance on the kneeling corps member after which she hit her with a bowl.
“JusticeForIfenyinwa. This is what a commissioned female Army officer, Lt. Chika Viola Anele, did to a youth corps member, Ezeiruaku Ifeyinwa Fidelia, serving at the 13 Brigade headquarters in Calabar after having an argument,” Jalingo had posted.
“We understand that the leadership in 13 Brigade are working to kill the matter. Let us make the officer very popular for all the wrong reasons, he added.
The corps member, Ms Ezeiruaku is doing her mandatory NYSC programme at the 13 Brigade headquarters of the army, in Calabar, where the incident happened.
The army, on Thursday expressed embarrassment over the incident, and apologised for it.
“The Nigerian Army wishes to tender unreserved apology to the victim, her family members, friends, National Youth Service Corps and to Nigerians in general for the unwholesome treatment meted out to the corps member,” the army spokesperson, Onyema Nwachukwu, said in a statement.
Also reacting in a statement, Mr Nwachukwu, a brigadier-general said: “The Nigerian Army has taken cognizance of a video clip currently making the rounds on the social media, where a female officer was seen dehumanizing a member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Calabar, Cross River State. This act is not only condemnable but unprofessional and against established precepts of discipline in the NA.
“The NA has remained undoubtedly the pride of the nation, a symbol of national unity that has consistently been in the vanguard of respect for the fundamental human rights of the citizenry.
Mr Nwachukwu, a brigadier-general, said the offending officer has been identified and “would be made to undergo regimental orders (trial) in line with the extant provisions of the Armed Forces”.
The Nigerian army is norotious for allegations of human rights abuses, and were accused of shooting indiscriminatly against protesters in November, 2020- allegations which were denied.
The victim, Ms Ezeiruaku, has apparently been “held hostage” on Thursday by the NYSC authorities in Cross River, who are insisting that she must leave Calabar for Lagos.
The reason for the abuse by the senior soldier has not yet been established, but this publication has asked for a complete investigation into why the shameful conduct by the bullish soldier took place.