“Nigerian Army Launches Probe into Alleged Abuse of Female Officer by Senior Colleagues” By Fagbade Olalekan

The Nigerian Army (NA) has promised to conduct a thorough investigation into an allegation by a female soldier that she was maltreated by some senior officers.

The Director, Army Public Relations, Maj.-Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, said this in a statement on Friday in Abuja.

Nwachukwu said the army had been inundated with audiovisuals being circulated on social media about the conduct of a female soldier in mufti, who claimed to have been maltreated by senior officers.

According to him, it is instructive to state that considering the gravity of the allegations, the Nigeria Army, 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 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,” he said.

Nwachukwu, therefore, encouraged all personnel to always utilise the established channels for addressing grievances and concerns as members of a noble and disciplined force.

He assured the general public that the army as an institution was committed to upholding the integrity and moral of its personnel and as such appropriate actions would 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 army remains dedicated to serving our nation with honour and integrity,” he added. (NAN)