Nigerian Army Says Soldier Who Claimed His Colleagues Ran Away & Left Him Is A Coward, Ran Away During Operations

 

The Nigerian Army, on Thursday, reacted to a viral video in which a soldier was claiming to have been abandoned by his colleagues. Army authorities said it was the soldier that actually ran away from battle.

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Army said the soldier in the video claiming to have been abandoned by his colleagues during operations, which went viral on social media on Wednesday, was diversionary and that the soldier had returned to his unit.

A statement by the Director, Army Public Relations, Brig Gen Onyema Nwachukwu, noted that “Contrary to the claims and impression created by the soldier in the video footage, 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.

“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.

“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 camaraderie that are synonymous 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.

“The video footage is, thus, to 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.”