Marriage proposal: Army detains female soldier for ‘indulging in romance while in uniform’

The Nigerian Army has confirmed the detention of a female soldier who accepted a marriage proposal from a male corps member.

The unnamed soldier was caught in a video wrapped in warm embrace with her lover after she accepted the proposal, sealed with a ring, at the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Orientation Camp in Yikpata, Kwara State.

The Director of Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, told the The PUNCH on Sunday, that the female officer violated military laws by getting involved in a public display of amorous relationship with a paramilitary trainee.

Video clips showing the unidentified male corps member proposing to the soldier hit the internet days ago, eliciting pleasant reactions from many social media users.

One of the video clips apparently recorded on the camp’s parade ground showed the corps member holding a ring as he knelt to ask the female soldier to marry him.

The visibly excited spinster, in military uniform, accepted the young graduate’s proposal and the latter went on to insert the ring in his love interest’s finger. The lovebirds later locked themselves in a warm embrace and kissed to the cheery applause of other corps members.

However, Nwachukwu said the female soldier violated the Nigerian Army’s rules and regulations guiding the codes of conduct of military personnel when deployed for duty.

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He said the female soldier’s action amounted to taking advantage of her trainee, noting that the public would have been outraged and accused the Army of coercion had a male soldier proposed to a female corps member during parade.

He said, “The female soldier in question violated the following rules of the NA:

“1. Fraternization while on official duty at the NYSC camp. That is, indulging in an amorous relationship with a trainee.

“2. A personnel must have served for three years before he/she can qualify for marriage.

“3. She disobeyed the Armed Forces of Nigeria standing guidelines and directives for the use of Social Media.

“4. Indulging in romance while in uniform.

“5. Her conduct was prejudicial to good order and military discipline.

“All the above, if proven are in violation of extant laws with attendant disciplinary and penal implications.”

The Army spokesman declined comments on likely sanction for the female soldier but said “the Nigerian Military like all others, has its disciplinary codes, distinct from that of the general society. Every personnel has voluntarily undertaken to be bound by this code.”