The Nigerian Army has commenced disciplinary action against at least 19 soldiers who allegedly breached the military social media code of ethics, Peoples Gazette can report.

The affected soldiers include two staff sergeants, two sergeants, six corporals, two lance corporals and seven privates, the Gazette’s findings show.

Although the exact infractions committed by the officers could not be immediately ascertained, the Army’s 82 Division in Enugu, according to documents seen by the Gazette, noted that the violations were recorded on August 31, 2020.

The Gazette also learnt that the military personnel were summoned to appear before a panel set up by the division on October 28.

The soldiers, if found culpable of violating the social media guidelines, will be prosecuted in line with the provision of the Armed Forces Act or the Cybercrime Act.

Chief of Defence Staff Gabriel Olonisakin had on June 11, 2018, introduced a statute regulating the use of social media by members of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.

“Managing and regulating the use of social media by members of the AFN is critical to the daily, operational and strategic needs of the AFN”, Mr. Olonisakin, a general, said in the 20-page document issued by the Defence Headquarters.

Posting of political matters on social networking apps, accepting friend requests from strangers, uploading photos or videos during exercises/operations and using social media languages such as LWKMD, LMAO, LOL, OMG, BRB in professional posts were among practices prohibited in the guidelines.

Military personnel were also directed not to be friends with social media accounts linked with “disgruntled elements of the state” as well as terror groups and Internet fraudsters.

The Gazette could not independently verify if the embattled soldiers have been punished or allowed access to legal representation. A spokesman for the Nigerian Army did not return a request seeking comments Sunday afternoon.

Many soldiers have been penalised in recent years for taking to social media to vent their frustration on issues bordering the inadequacies of their line of work.

Lance Corporal Harrison Friday, a soldier who warned against deployment of live bullets to quell #EndSARS protesters, is currently being tried by military authorities for multiple charges of Cybercrime Act violation.

Mr. Friday was arrested last Tuesday after the military identified him as the man behind a viral video, in which a masked army personnel was heard warning his colleagues not to attack #EndSARS protesters because doing so would be costly for the nation. He was initially held incommunicado in 103 Battalion, Enugu, following his arrest, but was moved to the Defence Intelligence Agency in Abuja this week, military sources said.

The Nigerian Army went on to deploy troops on October 20, leading to the massacre of at least nine civilians.