January 14, (THEWILL) – The Nigerian Army authority has said it would probe the allegation of sexual harassment and assault by its officers.
This followed reports of a female soldier, who in a viral video accused some officers of the Nigerian Army of sexually harassing and maltreating her.
Reacting to the report in a statement, Director Army Public Relations, Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, said: “The Nigerian Army (NA), 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.”
He assured Nigerians that the Nigerian Army 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 honour and integrity.”
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