The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) on Tuesday said corps members need to play by all relevant rules even when it involves a romantic entanglement.
The Director-General of the NYSC, Brig.-Gen. Ibrahim Shuaibu stated this during a press conference while reacting to the viral video of a male NYSC member who proposed to a female soldier at the Kwara State orientation camp.
The NYSC boss stated that the corps encourages the corpers to get married but they’ve never had to deal with a case involving a soldier and a corps member.
He added that in this case, the army has its own rules which must also be respected and obeyed.
Naija News recalls the Nigerian Army has confirmed the arrest and detention of a female soldier who recently accepted the love proposal from a male member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Kwara State.
The proposal happened at the Passing Out Parade of Batch B, Stream 2 of the 2021 Corp Members last week.
The corps member in a viral video could be seen on his knees as he inserts the ring into the finger of the female soldier amid cheers of fellow corps members.
However, a few days after the incident, a report emerged that the soldier has been arrested and is facing the consequences of her action, sparking angry reactions from Nigerians.
The spokesperson of the Nigerian Army, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu while confirming that the soldier has now been detained, explained that the soldier went against extant military laws which bans the public display of romantic relationship with a paramilitary trainee – a corps member.
Also, he added that the soldier violated the Nigerian Army’s rules and regulations on the conduct of military personnel when deployed for duty.
Nwachukwu said the female soldier is not expected to be in an amorous relationship with a trainee; indulge in romance while in uniform, and is also guilty of disobeying the Armed Forces standing guidelines and directives for the use of social media.
Reacting to the entire episode, the NYSC boss said: “Every organization has its own customs and traditions, and we have to abide by it. We, on our part, have spoken to our corps members.
“We encourage them to inter-marry, but we have never had a situation where a corps member will go and propose (to a soldier).
“The Army has its own tradition and they will not joke with it. So, we always tell our corps members to play by the rules.
“I can assure that the army as an institution is built on its customs and traditions, and anything that will impinge on discipline, they will not take it lightly.”
This article was originally published on Naija News