Monday, January 13, 2025 - Nigeria’s military personnel are now explicitly prohibited from engaging in homos*xuality, lesbianism, bestiality, cross-dressing, and other activities considered contrary to the ethics of the armed forces
The personnel are equally barred from body piercing, tattooing,
disorderly behaviour, and drunkenness on or off duty.
This directive is contained in Section 26 of the revised Harmonised
Armed Forces Terms and Conditions of Service signed by President Bola Tinubu on
December 16, 2024.
A copy of the document obtained by our correspondent on Saturday partly
read, “An officer must not engage in homos*xuality, lesbianism, and
bestiality.
“He/she is not to belong to, or engage in activities of the Lesbian,
Gay, Bisexual, Transgender or Trans, Queer or Questioning, Intersex, Asexual or
Agender, Two-Spirit (LGBTQIA2S+) group and cross-dressing, amongst others.
“An officer must not engage in body piercing and tattooing of any part
of his body. An officer shall not engage in any form of disorderly behaviour,
brawl, or any action of public disgrace. An officer must not at any time be
drunk whether on or off duty.”
The condition of service also forbids the involvement of officers in
amorous relationships with subordinates or their spouses.
“An officer shall not engage in any amorous relationship with any
soldier/rating/airman/airwoman, fellow officer’s or
soldier’s/rating’s/airmen’s/air women’s spouse, “ it stated.
The military personnel are obligated to pay financial dues, including
vehicle licenses and insurance on time, while they are prohibited from joining
secret societies or political parties.
“An officer shall pay all just financial obligations in a proper
and timely manner, especially those imposed by law and mutual contract. It is a
very serious offence for an officer to be apprehended for failure to license or
insure his vehicle, and other legal financial obligations. In the same vein,
the issuance of a dud cheque constitutes an offence.
The document read further, “An officer
shall not hold membership of any secret society or political party. He shall
not participate, in any way, in activities concerned with such societies or
parties even in observatory capacities.
“For the avoidance of doubt, since
cultural or purely traditional religious societies are not normally secret by
membership or in the conduct of their affairs, they are ipso-facto excluded
from belonging to secret societies.”
Having a private business, and misuse of
government property for personal gain are also prohibited for serving
personnel.
“An officer shall not engage in private
business. He shall not use or be allowed to use government property, his name,
position and connection in any way with commercial
enterprises outside employment or activity with or without compensation, which interfere or
has the tendency of interfering with his official duty or which may be
reasonably expected to bring discredit to the Service.
“An officer shall not accept gifts, favours, entertainments, etc, from officers
junior to him in rank or from soldiers/ratings/airmen/airwomen,” the
condition of service added.
The punishments or disciplinary measures against any personnel who violate the
rules were, however, not stated.
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