A civil rights organisation has called for the immediate release of a soldier arrested for posting a video on social media in which he decried the poor welfare, lack of promotion, and heavy casualties faced by troops battling banditry and terrorism across the country.

The Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) issued an urgent press statement on Saturday demanding that military authorities free Lance Corporal Rotimi Olamilekan, whom it says is being held incommunicado.

According to RULAAC, Lance Corporal Olamilekan, who is attached to the 81 Division Task Force Battalion in Maiduguri, Borno State, posted an emotional video online expressing his frustration. In the video, he reportedly stated that he has served on the frontline for approximately four years without promotion or additional benefits.

He lamented the continuous loss of his colleagues and issued a challenge to political leaders, urging them to allow their own children to enlist and experience the harsh realities of frontline service.

While acknowledging that the military is a disciplined institution with rules governing conduct, RULAAC argued that the soldier’s arrest raises serious questions about the military’s responsiveness to legitimate grievances.

“From the content of the video widely circulated in the public domain, Lance Corporal Olamilekan did not disclose operational secrets nor incite mutiny or insubordination,” said Okechukwu Nwanguma, Executive Director of RULAAC, in the statement.

“Rather, he spoke emotionally about the toll of the war on soldiers and called attention to the heavy sacrifices made by those confronting violent insurgency.”