Sofiyat Akinlabi has been in detention for about a week. The Army claims she violated military rules, Nigerians disagree
By Ishaya Ibrahim, News Editor
More than 3,000 Nigerians have signed an online petition barely 48 hours after it was launched to compel Nigerian Army to release Sofiyat Akinlabi, the female soldier detained for accepting a marriage proposal from a Youth Corper.
TheNiche had reported how Sofiyat Akinlabi was being held in detention by the Nigerian Army for accepting a love proposal from a member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Kwara State.
A video of the two love birds had appeared on social media with the male corps member kneeling and inserting a ring on the finger of the soldier at the NYSC camp in Kwara State.
The two lovebirds later hugged and kissed to the applause of other youth corps members, but to the provocation of her employer, the Nigerian Army.
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Activist, Yele Sowore, started the online petition in protest of the detention of Sofiyat Akinlabi by the Nigerian Army.
In the petition, he says: “Nigeria’s male-dominated misogynistic ‘Armed Forces’ detained a female soldier, Pte. Sofiyat Akinlabi for accepting a marriage proposal on the sidelines of a Youth Service Corps scheme passing out parade for fresh graduates.
“They claimed she had no right to accept the proposal in army uniform and that she’s not entitled to get married for three years after being enlisted in the Nigerian Army,
“However, photos and videos of male soldiers proposing marriage all over Nigeria have surfaced since this controversy broke, ironically, they were never reprimanded or punished for it.
“We are asking the Nigerian army to release a 24-year-old female soldier, Private Sofiyat Akinlabi from detention.
“The Headquarters of the Nigerian Army authorities have denied Sofiyat Akinlabi family members access to her and refused to provide her with food, sanitary materials, and medical care at the military cantonment in Sobi Barracks, where she is being held, according to her family.
“The young female soldier is been detained under unhealthy conditions in a “guardroom” reportedly meant for male soldiers, according to her family.
“She has been penalized and she’s facing seven counts of misconduct, according to family members, who fear for her safety,” the petition reads.