A revolution against every uniform man/woman in Nigeria

Questions?

Haven't we seen enough killings and destruction of lives and properties?

Why do we have to be in each other’s throats…what is the end game…what reality are we expecting to see? What is the aim…what are we looking to gain from it all?

These are some of the questions I keep asking myself, and I think, ideally; we should all ask ourselves those exact same questions.

My Country.

We, as a nation are mentally vibrant and lazy people, I'm referring to the majority of us who wants to appear better than the next person. Daily, we find every necessary means of achieving a kind of success that is detrimental to our fellow man, and damning all consequences, we strive consistently into bringing “that success” into fruition. Because “after all, that’s the most important kind of success” …ironically.

As a country where the rule of law no longer emphasises the supremacy of the law--I say it out loud that we're finished. You heard me...this is the beginning of the end!

This is unlike a usual article, this is my ordeal--a weird encounter with a soldier man.

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Soldiers beating up a civilian ece-auto-gen

My Ordeal with a soldier man.

As at 07:25pm or more on Saturday evening, the 29th day of September 2018, i was walking down the streets of Ago Palace Way. I had just alighted a keke napep that brought me up street from where I went to collect a pending debt that was owed to me.

I wasn't in high spirits because the money was long overdue, and in my mind, I had the intentions of causing my debtor a bit of a headache by taking a collateral for my money's equivalent. But as God would have it...he wasn't home.

So, you'd understand how i felt after being owed for 2 straight months...that's actually bad for business...I just couldn't find myself enjoying a weekend without money to buy body soap and beverages.

Long story short; after alighting the keke napep, I walked across the road to the other side where my friend's boutique was located. I carefully observed the plaza... It is a Saturday, they may be having lots of activities and events planned for the weekend...so I thought; but it was the opposite.

And as i got tired of feeding my eyes, I walked into a small corner just by the rear view of the plaza...because my friend (Chibuzor’s) boutique is situated at the detached quarters of the plaza. As a weekend-broke-girl, I walked lazily towards her shop. While at it, i heard someone from behind me calling out--sister! Sister! O’girl! ---I simply ignored and headed straight to Chibuzor's boutique.

Well, since none of the above sounded like my name, I paid deaf ears to it: I was obviously conserving my energy. So, I took five (5) more lazy steps and entered into the shop where my butt quickly decided to hug her customers' chair.

Chibuzor was glad to see me as i was of her. It’s been over two weeks of incommunicado with her, we had a few to catch up on. Also seated in her shop was a gentleman, a family friend of theirs (Chibuzor;s family). In a minute we all found ourselves conversing about the negatives of family planning and the likes.

Suddenly, a motorbike appeared and stopped right in front of the shop, the transparent entrance made it visible for us to see who it was. And in the flash of seconds, a soldier man pulled the glass door sideways to create an entrance and he jumped in.

Stunned by his unethical and disrespectful mode of entry, I opened my fairly closed eyes and refrained my back from resting; only for him to approach me in an aggressive manner. In his words; "you! My oga sent someone to come and call you, and you refused to come abi?

Oh yes… he was referring to me from all indications… he had his ugly finger pointing right at my face. And then, ‘dumbfounded me’ replied thus; no one sent anyone to call me and if I may, is anything the problem? He abruptly replied…abusively "are you crazy"?

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Actress Jewel Infinity Hospitalised After Being Assaulted By Male Soldier ece-auto-gen

This time, Chibuzor cuts in to inquire what was going on, only for him to start raining insults on us, threatening fire and brimstone. Those mean words of the recruit infuriated our seated gentleman, and he stood up to approach the soldier boy. The uniformed man noticed the danger he was pulling towards himself, so he stylishly redirected his steps and headed straight to his motorbike in disguise of an angry bird.

I advised Chibuzor not to follow him outside because anything could happen. I tell you, some of these guys are criminals. In his words "I'm coming for you people, since you have the guts to question and disobey a soldier" I went to the door and peacefully begged him to go and bring his entire brigade headquarters that I'd wait patiently for them.

Two solid hours later, nothing happened, no troops, no 1st and 3rd battalions...no commandant...nothing. That's how I carefully carried myself home---lost in the thought of 'what if I were a naive teenager' he'd intimidate me and do as he pleases. And there'll be no one to rescue the teenage me because in Nigeria, soldiers kill and get away with it because they’re “above the law”.

The streets are no longer safe for us anymore. I have seen soldiers beat up a couple at Charity bus stop in Oshodi, and nobody came to stop them because they were scared for their own lives, and also, soldiers can open fire on the people. But in this case, I was not afraid of him, I was rather elated because I know my rights as a citizen.

And I don't care if they respect not the law, for all i know...that soldier boy wasn't born when my father served this country in that same colour of uniform.

I stand as an advocate to sign the petition that soldiers should stop harassing us regardless of the gender. If you are a true Nigerian, take up this petition and let it get to the top. We're tired of being sexually harassed, molested, and intimidated by these men in uniforms

But first, I urge you all to know your rights as a citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Without this core knowledge of who we are…we become powerless and prone to predators and the likes.

Know your rights today!!

#ridthestreetsoffsoldiers#nomoresoldierbrutality#endsoldierabovethelawmovement#soldiersaretoobeythelaw#wedeservehumanrights#nomorebattering#nomorepolicesoldierintimidation#soldiershavenorightstoarrest

Written by Joyous Akhivbareme