The chauvinism in the military is sickening – Omoyele Sowore reacts to Nigerian army detaining a female soldier for accepting a male corps member’s proposal

Media personality, Omoyele Sowore has reacted to Nigerian army detaining a female soldier, Army Private Akinlabi Sofiyat for accepting a male corps member’s proposal. 

LIB reported that Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu said the female officer violated military laws by getting involved in a public display of amorous relationship with a paramilitary trainee, a corps member. He also claimed the public would have been outraged and accused the Army of coercion had a male soldier proposed to a female corper during NYSC parade.

Reacting to this, Sowore averred that the “chauvinism in the military is sickening”, adding that there are numerous examples of male soldiers proposing to their girlfriends in uniform. He also attached photos of male soldiers proposing to their girlfriends in uniform.

Sowore wrote; 

#FreeSofiat NOW: Numerous examples of HQ Nigerian Army male soldiers proposing to their girlfriends in uniform. The chauvinism in the military is sickening

Insisting that “it is clear that Sofiat committed no infraction or offence to warrant her detention”, Sowore further alleged that army authorities have denied the female soldier access to members of her family and refused to provide her with food, sanitary materials and medical care. 

He also alleged that the female soldier is being detained in a “guardroom” reportedly meant for male soldiers at Sobi Military Cantonment in Ilorin, Kwara State. Sowore also alleged that Sofiat’s “Commanding officer, Brigadier General AE Abubakar is threatening to send her to an underground cell at the @HQ Nigerian Army dungeon at the Army HQ in Abuja”. 

Sowore wrote; 

#FreeSofiat The HQ Nigerian Army authorities have denied Army Private Akinlabi Sofiyat access to members of her family and refused to provide her with food, sanitary materials and medical care. She’s detained under unhealthy conditions in a “guardroom” reported meant for male soldiers at Sobi Military Cantonment in Ilorin, Kwara State.

Her Commanding officer, Brigadier General AE Abubakar is threatening to send her to an underground cell at the @HQ Nigerian Army dungeon at the Army HQ in Abuja!

Pte Sofiyat Akinlabi must be released immediately. #RevolutionNow

Sowore also shared a SITREP from the NYSC Camp Commandant stating what happened. He wrote; 

#FreeSofiat: We now have a copy of the SITREP from the Camp Commandant stating what happened and it is clear that Sofiat committed no infraction or offence to warrant her detention. She even ISOLATED herself to respectfully get her Marriage Proposal done. Detaining her is unacceptable and the HQ Nigerian Army must release her and apologise for infringing on her fundamental rights.

FROM: NYSC ORIENTATION CAMP YIKPATA, KWARA STATE

TO: OFFICE OF THE DG NYSC

INFO: HQ 22 BDE

TEXT: SPECIAL SITREP (.) SITREP AS AT15O600A DEC 21(.) ONE(.) CAMP ACT(.) POP OF BATH C STREEM II AND DEPLOYMENT (.) SUBJECT TOOK PLACE AT ABOUT 131400A DEC 21(.) THE STATE. COORD WHO REP THE DG NYSC PASSED OUT CMs(.) CMs LEFT THE TO THEIR PPA(.) THE EX WAS HITCH FREE(.) TWO(.) VIRAL VIDEO OF CM PROPOSING TO A FEMALE SOLDIER (.) THE SOLDIER HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AND SHE IN THE CUSTODY OF 22 BDE CMM UNDERGOING INVESTIGATION (.) THE INCIDENT HAPPENED WHILE THE POP WAS ONGOING AT A TIME WHEN STATE COORDINATOR CMM CAMP COMDT AND ALL THE DRILL INSTROCTORS WERE BUSY AT THE PDE GROUND SHE CONSPICUOUSLY ISOLATED HERSELF AND OTHER CMs IN MAMY MARKET AND CARRY OUT THE ACT WITHOUT THE CONCENT OF ANY SOLDIER (.) OTHER INFO (.) TPS AND NYSC OFFICIALS RTU AT ABOUT 1530HRS(.) GEN SY WITHIN OWN CAMP REMAINS COOL CALM(.) PSE ACK///

MM ABDULLAHI

CAPT

CAMP COMDT

The media personality who maintained that the Nigerian army is “illegally holding Army Private Hannah Sofiat A, for accepting a marriage proposal from her National Youth Corps Service(NYSC) lover at a Mammy Market in Ilorin”, stated that she should be released and given an apology. 

Sowore added; 

#FreeSofiat HQ Nigerian Army is illegally holding Army Private Hannah Sofiat A, her offence was accepting a marriage proposal from her National Youth Corps Service(NYSC) lover at a Mammy Market in Ilorin. There is no law that prevents anyone from accepting a marriage proposal in military uniform but as it is typical of the pre-civilization Nigerian military she was clamped into detention at Sobi Military Cantonment in Ilorin, Kwara state.

The Nigerian military must release Sofiat asap and apologise to her for illegal detention. #RevolutionNow