By Olayemi Esan
Nigerian Army has said that preliminary investigations have revealed that the claims and impression created by a soldier in a viral video footage on Wednesday, 30 March 2022 who claimed to have been abandoned by his colleagues during operations was a deliberate attempt to shield himself from being accused of cowardice, having abandoned his colleagues during an ongoing clearance operation in Gurara, Niger State.
Army Spokesperson, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu in a press statement said, it could be recalled that troops of the Nigerian Army, recently carried out a clearance operation in Gurara Local Government Area of Niger State.
Nwachukwu in the statement explained that, disappointingly, during an encounter, the said soldier abandoned his colleagues and absconded in an outright display of cowardice and possible sabotage, which negate the precepts of the military profession.
"Sensing the gravity of his action and its consequences, the soldier surreptitiously uploaded the video online in a calculated attempt to whip-up public sentiment and cover up his act of cowardice.
"The soldier's action amounts to a betrayal of the esprit de corps and comradery that are synomous with a military unit and fighting formation, particularly during operations. The soldier's conduct is therefore an aberration and against the ethics and core values of the military profession", he said.
The video footage is thus, in all intent, and purpose a misrepresentation of what actually transpired between the soldier and his colleagues.
The soldier has rejoined his unit and further investigations are currently ongoing to unravel the reasons behind his unprofessional conduct