Over 1,000 persons have signed a petition asking the
Nigerian army to release Sofiyat Akinlabi, the female soldier detained for
accepting a corps member’s marriage proposal.
Akinlabi and the corps member went viral for engaging in
lovey-dovey moments at the Yikpata orientation camp of the National Youth Service
Corps (NYSC) in Kwara.
The army had earlier said the soldier was detained for
violating the military’s rules of engagement.
But the petition, initiated by Omoyele Sowore, Nigerian
activist, condemned the army’s handling of the soldier’s case.
The petition also questioned why the army would detain
Akinlabi for the marriage proposal when “male soldiers were not punished” for
doing same thing — with the scenes also going viral on social media.
According to the petition, the soldier is being detained
under “unhealthy conditions with no food and access to sanitary and medical
facilities.”
It also said the soldier “knew the corps member before they
met in camp”, adding that the couple only “decided to strengthen their
relationship.”
It called on Farouk Yahaya, the chief of army staff (COAS),
to ensure Akinlabi is not stigmatised or dismissed from the military, and that
“love should not be punished.”
The petition also asked Francisca Olaleye, Kwara NYSC
coordinator, to ensure “no harm or hurt happens to the couple.”
“We are asking the Nigeria chief of army staff,
major-general Farouk Yahaya to respect her constitutional rights and ensure
that she’s not stigmatized or dismissed from the military,” it read.
“We further call on the Nigerian military and security
forces to review and remove all discriminatory rules against service women in
it books with immediate effect!”
The petition, which targets 1,500 signatures, has been
signed by 1,200 people as of the time of this report.
Funmi Falana, human rights lawyer, had earlier faulted
Akinlabi’s detention and called on authorities to release her.
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