No justice for female corper as army rewards suspect

A female corp member identified as Ezeiruaku Ifeyinwa Fidelia, who was publicly humiliated and dehumanized by a female military officer, is yet to get justice several weeks after the incident.

Various organizations and individuals, including Pauline Tallen, the Minister of Women Affairs, who had earlier promised to personally take the bull by the horns by seeking for justice, seem to be dragging their feet at the moment.

This was lucidly noticed in a letter drafted by her to a popular radio station where she decried the way and manner she has been abandoned to her fate.

Captioned “Nothing has happened since reporting my maltreatment to the military authorities”, she expressed sadness that instead of allowing the said female officer to face the wrath of the law, she was rewarded by allowing her to embark on a three-week course to Jaji in Kaduna State.

According to her, “After the incident, Lieutenant Chika Viola went for a three-week course in Jaji, Kaduna state, adding that “I know that once we end our service year, and I am not here again, the case will die.”

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) which ought to assist her in pursuing her case, according to her “did not come to check on me” stressing that “they did not even ask to know the corper they did this to.”

It was also gathered that pressures have been mounted on Fidelia to drop the case, as she said “the NYSC now called me and they were saying did I write through them before going to get a lawyer.”

Stressing how they have begun to arrange “things” against her, the NYSC, according to her letter “said I should bring down the case” adding that “they gave me a book and biro and asked me to write that I have withdrawn the case and that I should write formally through them. I left them and went away. I didn’t write anything and didn’t withdraw the case.”

Fidelia, who said she has made up her mind to tread every legitimate path to seek justice, said “I am suing Lieutenant Chika Viola and the army authorities. I am suing both of them.”

When the video of how she was publicly abused, maltreated and dehumanized by Lieutenant Chika Viola, went viral, it would be recalled that several organizations, groups and individuals came out to blame the female military officer, vowing to stake out their necks to seek justice for Fidelia.

Pauline Kedem Tallen OFR was (born 8 January 1959. She is a Nigerian politician and currently serving as Women Affairs Minister.