A Nigerian soldier who beat up a woman, one Ebere Ohakwe, has been handed a 28-day jail term for molesting a civilian, the army has said.
Suleiman Olamilekan, a private with 6 Division Garrison, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, is to spend 28 days in prison with hard labour for beating Ebere Ohakwe.
The convicted soldier, Mr. Olamilekan, is also to forfeit his salary to the federal government for the 28 days he would be spending behind bars.
The incident, which has caused outrage on the social media, occurred at Omagwa Checkpoint along Port Harcourt – Onitsha Road on January 30.
Aminu Iliyasu, the Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, said in a statement released on Wednesday that Mr. Olamilekan was tried and found guilty by the 6 Division, Port Harcourt.
Mr. Iliyasu, a colonel, said the army’s response to the case was in accordance with its policy of “zero tolerance to unprofessional conduct as well as its uncompromising stance on discipline and commitment to the rule of law”.
Mr. Iliyasu said the General Officer Commanding, GOC, 6 Division Nigerian Army, Enobong Udoh, a major general, had ordered the immediate arrest of the soldier and his guard commander for investigation and disciplinary action, immediately the army got wind of the incident.
The GOC had also invited the victim to his office and assured her that justice would be done in the matter, the statement said.
“We wish to assure the general public that proactive measures have been put in place to forestall a reoccurrence of such misconduct in the future,” the statement said.
“We will equally welcome prompt and accurate reports of any such misconduct within Rivers, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom and Delta States to appropriate superior authority.”
The army a few days ago carried out similar punitive measures against two corporals who molested a physically challenged person in Onitsha, Anambra State, for wearing a camouflage shirt.
The two soldiers were demoted to privates and imprisoned for 21 days.