The Minister of Women Affairs, Dame Pauline Tallen, has described the humiliation of a member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Ezeiruaku Ifeyinwa Fidelia, by a serving Army officer as unfortunate and unacceptable.
She also said that the assaulted female corps member would be relocated to Lagos based on her request.
A viral video shared by journalist and activist, Agba Jalingo, showed a female soldier identified as Lt. Chika Viola Anele, seen pouring unknown liquid suspected to be dirty water on the corps member in Calabar, the Cross River State capital.
Tallen, in a signed statement, made available to the media on Friday morning, September 24, said she was appalled by the development.
“It is unfortunate that while we are raising the bar in our campaign to sustain the zero-tolerance against SGBV at all levels in the country, including the Security Sector, an act of such nature can still occur,” she said.
The Minister said for the world to witness such a video at a time her ministry is championing the elimination of all forms of violence against women was disheartening.
“On behalf of Nigerian Women and all our partners in the fight against SGBV, we condemn unequivocally this unacceptable and unimaginable incidence and stand in solidarity to say No to Violence in all its ramifications,”
Tallen said she, the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, as well as the Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier General Shuaibu Ibrahim, would ensure the woman in the video gets justice.
The Minister commended all concerned Nigerians who identified all parties to get to the root of the matter.
“I also thank all the concerned individuals who felt duty-bound to support our efforts at locating all the concerned parties. I want to assure all Nigerians that alongside my colleague, Honourable Minister of Youth and Sports, DG NYSC, we are leaving no stone unturned to ensure that the corps member gets the desired justice,”
“Let me use this opportunity to salute the members of the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs-Emergency Group Against (SGBV) for their tireless contributions in helping us stem the tide of the pandemic of GBV
“I want to reassure all Nigerians that the corps member will formally relocate to Lagos this morning (24/09-21), following her request to be so deployed. For the purpose of further clarity, the victim has in a telephone conversation also confirmed that at no point was her phone seized.
“As the Minister for Women Affairs and as a Nigerian woman and mother, I appeal for calm and assure you that we will continue to engage with the leadership of the Nigeria Army to forestall such re-occurrence,” she added.
