Over 10,000 sign petition, demand release of romantic soldier detained for accepting corper’s proposal – Newstrends
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Over 10,000 sign petition, demand release of romantic soldier detained for accepting corper’s proposal

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Female soldier and her lover corps member

Over 10,000 persons have signed two petitions domiciled on the Change.org platform, demanding the release of a female soldier, Private Sofiyat Akinlabi, who was detained by military authorities for accepting the marriage proposal of an unnamed corper at the National Youth Service Corps Orientation Camp in Yikpata, Kwara State.

The first petition started by activist Deji Adeyanju of Concerned Nigerians has attracted over 5,000 signatures as of press time. It was titled, ‘FreeSofiat: Nigerian Army should release detained female Nigerian soldier immediately’.

It read in part, “We’re demanding the immediate release of the young female soldier being held by the Nigerian Army before it sparks national global outrage.

“Furthermore, we condemn the prolonged detention and alleged violation of her human rights by army authorities by denying Sofiyat access to members of her family and refusing to provide her with food, sanitary materials, and medical care. Such gross violation of human right, abuse of power and excessive use of force is absolutely uncalled for and condemnable.”

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The second petition started by activist Omoyele Sowore has also attracted over 5,000 signatures. It was titled, ‘#FreeSofiyat: Release female soldier held over marriage proposal in Nigeria’.

It partly read, “It is Christmas time and Sofiat should be with her family and loved ones during the holidays and not held up.

“We are asking the Nigerian Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Farouk Yahaya, to respect her constitutional rights and ensure that she is not stigmatised or dismissed from the military. We further call on the Nigerian military and security forces to review and remove all discriminatory rules against servicewomen in its books with immediate effect!”

The PUNCH had earlier reported that the Nigerian Army on December 14, 2021, arrested and detained Akinlabi for accepting the corper’s marriage proposal at the Mammy Market at the Yikpata NYSC camp.

The Director of Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, told our correspondent on December 19, 2021 that Akinlabi violated military laws by getting involved in a public display of amorous relationship with a paramilitary trainee – a corps member, vowing that she will be punished.

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Also, the NYSC Director-General, Brig.-Gen. Ibrahim Shuaibu, at a briefing in Abuja on December 21, 2021, said though the scheme “encourage(s) them to inter-marry, we have never had a situation where a corps member will go and propose (to a soldier)”. He also said that the military won’t joke with its traditions.

Some civil society organisations including the Women Empowerment & Legal Aid had since called on the COAS to respect the decision of the female soldier to marry the male corps member.

The Chairperson of the group, Funmi Falana, in a letter to the COAS on December 20, 2021, demanded the immediate release of the soldier

She argued that no male soldier has been punished for proposing to a love interest in public as seen on social media. She, therefore, declared as illegal, the detention of Akinlabi.

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200,000 repentant terrorists surrender, drop arms in North East – CDS

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Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa

200,000 repentant terrorists surrender, drop arms in North East – CDS

The Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, has disclosed that about 200,000 repentant terrorists have so far dropped their arms and surrendered to troops in the North East, noting that the twin strategy of kinetic and non-kinetic operations was responsible for this achievement.

The CDS made this known at the Security and Justice Symposium organised by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) in collaboration with the British High Commission, which began at the National Counterterrorism Centre in Abuja on Tuesday.

He disclosed that the theme of the symposium, ”Securing Peace, Ensuring Justice, Protection, Conduct, and Accountability,” speaks volumes about the deluge of security challenges the armed forces and security agencies are facing.

His words, “All the challenges we are facing today have to do with fairness, equity, justice, and accountability.

“There will not be peace without justice, equity, fairness, and accountability. In our operations, we are conducting both kinetic and non-kinetic strategies, which have to a large extent yielded significant successes, and we want to particularly thank the National Security Adviser for his great support in this regard.

“Nigeria is going through so many challenges, and we feel we’re able to address this, and everybody has a sense of belonging. A lot of the security challenges we are having, we are sure, will go down. I want to thank the National Security Advisor for all the support he’s given us, both the kinetic and the non-kinetic.

“We have said it; the kinetic aspect is just less than 30%. The non-kinetic has a lot to play. The non-kinetic, because when you have democracy, people must have the evidence of democracy. As long as it tells people to sleep well and be peaceful, and they are hungry, their children cannot eat, and all this creates more problems.

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“The issue of informants. We have to look at how we tackle this issue of informants. Because these are the people who have created the issue.

200,000 repentant terrorists surrender, drop arms in North East – CDS

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Robbers kill two members in shoot-out with Delta police

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Robbers kill two members in shoot-out with Delta police

The spokesperson for the police in Delta State, SP Bright Edafe, has confirmed the death of two robbery suspects in the state.

Mr Edafe, who disclosed this to journalists on Tuesday in Warri, said that the deceased were killed from the bullets shot by their gang members.

According to him, the incident occurred on Wednesday at Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area of the state.

Mr Edafe explained that the deceased were leading the police surveillance team attached to the Ekpan Division to their hideout when they were caught during a shoot-out.

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“The suspects were arrested at Effurun roundabout with a bag containing 57 live cartridges and other items. They were leading the surveillance team to their hideout at Warri/Sapele road when their gang members, on sighting the vehicle of the police team, engaged them in a shootout.During the gun duel, the arrested suspects that were leading the police team were fatally wounded by the gun shot of their colleagues. The two injured suspects were taken to the hospital and later died while receiving treatment,” he said.

Mr Edafe said that items recovered from the hoodlums hideout included: one English pump action gun, one locally made cut-to-size gun and eight live cartridges.

Others were: six iPhones, Smart phones and a Rolex wrist watch.

He said that the command had intensified manhunt on the fleeing members of the gang.

 

Robbers kill two members in shoot-out with Delta police

(NAN)

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Akwa Ibom businessman abducted, driver killed, police orderly injured

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Dr. Samuel Ekerenam
Akwa Ibom businessman abducted, driver killed, police orderly injured
Gunmen kidnapped a prominent businessman, Dr. Samuel Ekerenam and k!lled his driver in Eket town, the headquarter of Eket Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.
Ekerena, the owner of Hephzibah Mall, was abducted about 10:00pm on Saturday, 23 November, 2024.
It was gathered that the gunmen trailed the victim to the shopping complex, shooting sporadically to scare the passers-by away before whisking him away to an unknown destination.
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The body of Ekerenam’s driver was discovered in the pool of his blood, while his police orderly was severely wounded in the gun attack.
The spokesperson of the State Police Command, ASP Timfon John, who confirmed the incident on Monday, November 25, said the Commissioner of Police, CP Joseph Eribo has deployed tactical operatives to comb for the abducted businessman.
The PPRO added that the police were on top of the game and very soon the kidnap victim would be rescued and the perpetrators made to face the full weight of the law.

Akwa Ibom businessman abducted, driver killed, police orderly injured

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