By Our Correspondent
Controversy and allegations of foul play is currently trailing the circumstances leading to the withdrawal of a 24-year-old female Nigerian recruit, Maryam Muhammad and six others from Zaria depot training camp for alleged pregnancy.
Maryam Muhammad, an indigene of Fika LGA of Yobe state who confirmed the information to our correspondent confessed that she was not pregnant when sacked on 11th September 2024,
from the depot in Zaria around 9pm on allegation of pregnancy.
To prove the army wrong, Maryam Muhammad said she immediately went to government health facility (Name withheld), a day after her deportation from the barrack and ran a pregnancy test which showed negative.
In an elaborate interview with the young girl, she alleged suspicion of the process noting that she was enrolled as an army recruit in June 2024, after passing through several medical examinations including pregnancy test, physical and documentations.
Her words: “i am 24 years old from Fika LGA of Yobe state. Recruited into 241 Nguru battalion in Yobe state. From there to Zaria depot in June 2024 for training which was supposed to be for 5 months period.
“I spent 3 months in depot trainig and to finish in October. The same day we arrived depot Zaria, we were taken for medical test, same way we did in Yobe state training camp, we did blood test, physical and documentations, they found out we don’t have any problems me and my colleagues.
“They accepted us and welcomed us inside the depot and shared us into our company, hostels. After that, they did another test on the female recruits after every two weeks. Last Month, August they carried us to Military Recruiter Information Suites (MRIS), and did our test, everything was okay.
Last 3 weeks they came and called us and say we’re pregnant and locked us at MRIS for 2 days. We’re 7 but only two of us were locked up in the room, the remaining 5 have god fathers. So they left them inside the hostel till the day we were going to 44 army reference hospital.
“We don’t know where the other 5 went. Only two of us were taken to 44 for pregnancy test. As we were coming we saw them coming back together with us, I don’t know where they carried them to because they’ve god father there.
“While in 44, they do us pregnancy test, scanning twice, all negative, but that infection is the only thing disturbing us. Aside that we’re free of everything; that’s what the doctor said. He told them if they are doubting they should bring them after two weeks.
“So on Monday 9th September, they carry us to 44 and did scanning with different doctors again, they even put something inside our private part to see if our womb is carry baby. They’ll bring 7 of us out of hostels but only two of us will be taken to enter motor, and taken to 44, others will not follow us.
‘Others will enter different motor. Doctors told our female leader, her name Olawale. Doctor called her and told her to stop accusing us, we’re not pregnant, only infection. that’s the problem. They should go and treat us and allow us continue with our training.
So we came back, she called the recruitment commander who said the following day around morning time, he want to see the results. So after the following day and result was given to him, Tuesday 10th September.
“On Wednesday 11th, (yesterday), after close from class, they called us, when I was entering hostel, before i drop my bag they called our names, we leave our bags with colleagues and turn back. As we turn back they call fire alarm, and said they want to depose some female recruits.
“So is only two of us we see there, and five others. They call us for pregnancy. They did not allow the two of us to talk but the remaining 5 female, they gave them time to talk whether they are guilty or not
o talk.
“I raised my my hand, the man said I cannot talk. That when a big man is talking, recruit cannot talk, because I’ve a little experience about that. I said sir, I want to explain myself because I know I’m not guilty because i did not do anything, nothing is disturbing me.
“They said the pregnancy is since from state, is what the man said. I said since from state, if I’ve pregnancy would’ve not passed the test. And they did test 3 times when we reported to depot, this is the 4th time but they did not catch me with the pregnancy report”, he explained.
She continue that “Why is that they did not say I’m pregnant for 3 months I stay inside depot till now. I know myself, I’m not pregnant, if I’m pregnant all the training activities we’ve been doing I would’ve been able to do it.
“Because we did our 5 kilo, I’m their Buffalo there. I’m the one that win cup for them for our company. We did our combination, I was among their quarter guard. I did all the activities among them. if I’m pregnant I would’ve done them.
“I’m the one leading them, they gave me room leader and squad leader. If i’m going somewhere my room mates will testify. Even my room mates said 247 I’m together with them. Even one day they did not see me going out. Unless I’m go to MRIS I’ll come and meet them inside the company.
“I was not going any where. Even my leaders know. I don’t know how they manipulated the result or they did something else, I don’t know. They did not give us any pregnancy test result report sheet. They hide it, I don’t know”, she lamented.
On the name of her second, she said “The second lady with me is Hanatu by name, from Gombe state. The other five female are Yorubas. When I was leaving (yesterday) 11th September, a Lt. Colonel came and ask them (The 5) to wait and not go yet.
“He promise to come and pick them. I left there to go and met my brother who is a soldier inside Jaji. Since that 2 pm, they keep us until 9 pm in the night before the pursue us outside depot in the barrack. I Went to the roadside and found my way to jaji, from where we stand where some soldiers came and told us is dangerous place for kidnappers”, he said.
Contacted for clarification, the Arny public relations officer, Capt. Ocihienta neither pick his calls nor replied SMS sent to him until press time.
On how much so far spent in the entire process, and whether she was given anything for her transportation back home, Maryam has this to say,” Starting since from state screening to 3 months and 2 weeks in depot i spent more than N700,000, and still up till now I am still spending, because I am not in my parents house up till now.
“Started from state you will be the one to feed yourself for 2 weeks and buy some material for the screening, and if your going to Depot u will buy foodstuffs that u will be using it, and that’s some material that they said we should go with it.
“And each week my father uss to send feeding money for me because depot no dey give us allowance to buy soap or anything, the depot commander said till we past out before he will pay us the allowance”, he narrated.
Earlier, an activist and Director General, Centre for Justice on Religious and Ethnicity in Nigeria, Rev. Kallamu Musa Ali Dikwa who raised the alarm, alleges replacement of victims female recruit with children of the rich.
He stated in prorest statement that “One of the senior military officer that discussed with us said, all the pregnancy test were negatives. Mariyam and Hannatu only have infections and military rules and regulation is to treat the infections not to send them out of the training camp.
“In the year 2016, I came across same case of this nature, which happened to one Idoma boy and I met him bitterly crying at Television Garage in Kaduna, but then I called one of the senior Air force officer on phone and told him that I’m going to invite media men to interview the young man, he quickly asked the recruitment officer to return the young man before this issue will become another deferent thing for him not to lose his own job.
“Another is that, in all the other security agencies, same things is happening. Last year a 2 star police officer asked me if I known someone in police service commission that helped him for the recruitment of his son?
“As a police officer they asked him to pay N400.000.00 before recruit his son and he doesn’t have the money, and I told him that even if he has the money let him go and open business for his son with the N400.000.00 not to give police.
“Recently in Potiskum, Yobe state, one Immigration officer collected N400.000.00 from 2 young men that his going to recruit them into Nigeria Custom Service, now about over 1 year but when the young men met with me I advised them to go and collect their money back from him.
“But if he refuse to return the N800.000.00 they should come back and meet me, and this morning they have informed me that the immigration returned N400.000.00 remaining N400.000.00”, he added.
