BREAKING: Chief Of Army Staff orders release of detained soldier, Hannah Sofiat

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Faruk Yahaya, has ordered the immediate release of a detained female soldier, Hannah Sofiat.

Sofiat who had accepted a marriage proposal from a male corps member at the National Youth Service Corps Orientation Camp in Yikpata, Kwara – was detained by the military.

However, Punch Newspaper quoted a military source on Saturday that the Chief of Army staff had intervened and asked that she should be pardoned.

The source at Army Headquarters said that the COAS took the decision in the spirit of Christmas.

According to the source, the female soldier had been warned and reprimanded for breaching the extant rule guiding the conduct of military personnel.

He said that the soldier had been forgiven and freed from detention to join her family and friends to celebrate Christmas.

The source said this is in line with the COAS vision to have a Professional Nigerian Army Ready to Accomplish Assigned Missions within a Joint Environment in Defence of Nigeria.

Sofiat was detained after video clips where she was seen accepting a marriage proposal from a male corps member at the NYSC orientation camp in Kwara, which went viral on social media.

Her detention had however elicited reactions from Nigerians who believed she should not be denied the right to love.

Several groups and individuals have been urging the Nigerian Army authority to release the female soldier.

When Punch Newspaper contacted, the Army Spokesperson, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, confirmed the development.

He said, “What you are being told is correct.”