Soldier in Viral video coward, sabotaur, abandons colleagues, abscons duty, says Nigerian Army

The Nigerian Army has said that the action of a soldier in a viral video alleging that his colleagues abandoned him during an encounter with terrorists amounts to  betrayal of the esprit de corps.

The soldier’s conduct is also misleading and diversionary, according to the Army, adding,

“preliminary investigations have revealed that the video footage 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”.

A viral video has been circulating on the social media, since Wednesday,  March 30, 2022,

with a soldier who  claimed to have been abandoned by his colleagues during operations.

But reacting to the development, Director Army Public Relations,

Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu said in a statement that

“the soldier surreptitiously uploaded the video online in a calculated attempt to whip-up public sentiment and cover up his act of cowardice”.

He said further,

“The video footage  is thus, in all intent, and purpose a  misrepresentation of what actually transpired between the soldier and his colleagues”.

Disclosing that

the soldier has rejoined his unit, Nwachukwu stressed that  further investigations are currently ongoing to unravel the reasons behind his unprofessional conduct.

The Nigerian Army spokesman stated that the conduct of the soldier negated

comradery, which is 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”.

Dismissing the video, Nwachukwu said the soldier must have sensed the gravity of his action and its consequences,

adding that,

“Contrary to the claims and impression created by the soldier in the video footage”, preliminary findings showed that it was the soldier that abandoned his colleagues.

Said the Director, Army Public Relations, “It could be recalled that troops of the NA,  recently carried out a clearance operation in Gurara Local Government Area of Niger State. “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”.