Nigerian soldier Lance Corporal Philomena Nnamoko described her traumatic military experiences, as published by DailyPost. Nnamoko’s financial troubles led her to serve in the Army in 2009 in order to support her son after her spouse passed away and she had few work options. CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
But her time in the military turned into a horrific experience filled with brutal abuse. Nnamoko experienced physical abuse, attempted rape, and denial of basic medical care during her service. She dutifully reported these instances and stated that she needed to be discharged because of health issues and abuse, but her requests were continuously turned down, which resulted in a demotion and ongoing harassment.
In her words, “My experience in the Army has been extremely bad. I faced termination and abuse while stationed in Ibadan, where I experienced an attempted rape in the guardroom. The frustration became too much and I was sent out of Ibadan barracks and for rehab the following day in 2010.”
“Colleagues offered some support, but fear of punishment and systemic intimidation hindered justice.”
“An operation was arranged for August 29 to address the fibroid issue. On the day preceding the surgery, I returned home to gather essentials, including clothing. Shortly after my arrival, there was a knock on my door. Opening it, I encountered seven soldiers led by a sergeant. They inquired about my failure to return to duty, and I explained that I was preparing for fibroid surgery scheduled for the next day. Without delay, the sergeant ordered them to take me. Despite being in casual attire, they handled me roughly, causing my clothing to come undone. Upon reaching the barracks, they placed me in a guardroom without providing any covering. The following day, I began to bleed. Eventually, I fainted, and they sought the captain’s permission to transport me to the MRS, initially met with refusal under the assumption that I would regain consciousness. After failing to regain consciousness, they were finally allowed to transfer me to the MRS, where I received intravenous fluids. However, I was subsequently referred to another hospital for ongoing treatment.”
Despite this, the captain persisted in retaining me and directed them to take me to the guardroom while still attached to the drip. A female staff member at the MRS questioned the captain about the treatment I was receiving, but he dismissed her without explanation. After she sought the intervention of our cantonment commandant and raised the same concerns, he professed ignorance of such treatment, despite earlier assurances that action would be taken, which he failed to follow through. However, upon receiving the report from the woman, the commandant arranged for an ambulance to transfer me to a hospital in Ibadan. Upon arrival, my blood pressure was elevated, necessitating a three-week stay before undergoing the required surgery. Following the procedure, I was brought back to Ijebu-Ode.” CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
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