The army detained soldiers because of a video calling on politicians to send their children to join the military, fighting terrorists

The Nigerian Army has reportedly arrested and detained a soldier identified as Lance Corporal Rotimi Olamilekan, after he posted a video on social media calling on governors, senators, members of the House of Representatives and other politicians to allow their children to enlist in the military and join the fight against bandits and terrorists across the country.

In a video that quickly went viral on Tuesday, the soldier said that he is currently serving with the 81 Division Task Force Battalion in Maiduguri, Borno State, where he has served for four years without promotion or additional allowances, and gave his service number 18NA/77/1009 LCPL, indicating that the trauma of fighting against terrorists over the years may have taken its toll on him.

In the video, the soldier can be heard saying:

“I lost my colleagues because of the things I said that made me shed tears day after day.

“In this country, we have 36 governors, 109 senators, even ministers, we have almost 60 people.

“We have the House of Representatives, local government chairmen – 774 people. Let each of them send their own sons to join the Nigerian Army (We have members of the House of Representatives, and 774 local government chairmen. Let each of them send their own sons to join the Nigerian Army.”

According to reports, the video was seen as an affront to the authorities who pushed for the arrest of Olamilekan who was arrested during the operation after there was reportedly a signal ordering him to be taken to the Army Headquarters in Abuja.

He was reportedly arrested at his location by fellow officers and held briefly in a cell in Maiduguri before being transferred to Abuja and held incommunicado but managed to get some sympathetic colleagues to inform his family that he had been taken to Abuja.