Army reacts to video of soldier molesting civilian in camouflage

Army reacts to video of soldier molesting civilian in camouflage

Abdullateef Fowewe

The Nigerian Army has confirmed that the viral video showing a soldier mistreating a civilian for wearing military camouflage is an old video that resurfaced.

On Sunday, a video of a military member manhandling a civilian for wearing camouflage began circulating on social media.

Reacting to the video, Director of Army Public Relations, Onyema Nwachukwu, in a statement on Sunday stated that the incident occurred in 2021, and the authority of the Nigerian Army had taken immediate and decisive action against the soldier involved.

Nwachukwu in the statement said, “The Nigerian Army has noted the recent circulation of an old video depicting a soldier molesting a civilian for wearing a Nigerian Army Desert Camouflage uniform. The NA wishes to clarify that this video footage is a stale audio-visual being recirculated by individuals or content creators either bereft of content or with malicious intent to create tension between the military and the civilian populace.

“The unfortunate incident in question occurred in 2021, and the NA took immediate and decisive action at that time. The soldier involved was arrested, tried, and appropriately punished for his unacceptable behaviour, which violated the core values of the Nigerian Army, particularly the respect for others and their fundamental rights.

“The NA wishes to reiterate that the ban on the unauthorized use of military camouflage remains in full effect. Only personnel of the Armed Forces of Nigeria and the Nigeria Police Force are legally permitted to wear military camouflage.

“This regulation becomes expedient as terrorists, insurgents, and other imposters have oftentimes exploited the misuse of military camouflage to commit heinous crimes against unsuspecting members of the public, thereby posing significant security threats.”

However, the Nigerian Army according to the statement affirmed its commitment to upholding the law and ensuring the safety and security of all citizens.

“We urge the public to disregard the recirculated video and to remain vigilant against attempts to sow discord and tension within the country,” Nwachukwu added.