The Nigerian Army (NA) says an assault on a female member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) by a female officer in Calabar, Cross River, captured on video, is highly unprofessional and unacceptable. The Director, Army Public Relations, Brig.-Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, made this known in a statement on Thursday in Abuja.
Nwachukwu said the act was not only condemnable but unprofessional and against established precepts of discipline in the Nigerian Army.
He said that the army had 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.
“It is against this premise that the army condemns this unimaginable level of an infraction by personnel in its ranks.
“The army, therefore, condemns in strong terms, this act of gross misconduct.
“Undoubtedly, the officer’s actions have caused the army a monumental embarrassment and is highly regrettable.
“This unfortunate act of indiscipline does not in any way represent the army and will not be condoned in its entirety,” he said.
Nwachukwu said the ugly incident happened in 13 Brigade, Calabar, adding that the brigade commander had since instituted an investigation.
He said that the officer involved had been identified and sanctioned in the interim and would be made to undergo regimental orders (trial) in line with the extant provisions of the Armed Forces Act.
He said that the submission that the brigade attempted covering up was therefore misleading, as the army remained a professional force with zero tolerance for indiscipline among its personnel.
He restated that such infractions would not be tolerated from any personnel of Nigerian army
“The army also promises that the rights of the citizenry is sacrosanct and must be respected by all personnel of the army, as any form of infraction will be severely dealt with.
“Therefore, the public is enjoined to continue to report such infractions, as Human Rights Desks in all formations of the army provided to deal decisively with such erring personnel.
“The army further wishes to tender unreserved apology to the victim, her family members, friends, NYSC and to Nigerians in general for the unwholesome treatment meted out to the Corps member,” he said. (NAN)