Lance Corporal Rotimi Olamilekan, a dismissed Nigerian Army soldier, has spoken out about the harsh treatment he endured after calling on politicians’ children to enlist in the military.
Olamilekan, who went viral last year for urging ministers, governors, lawmakers, and local government chairmen to allow their children to join the fight against terrorism, described months of detention, humiliation, and deprivation.
“I was arrested and dismissed because of a video I made asking politicians to send their sons into the army to fight terrorists,” Olamilekan said.
He recounted being arrested at his duty post in a remote North-East location where he had been stationed for nearly five years.
“They handcuffed my legs and hands as if I had committed theft or murder,” he added.
The soldier detailed being transferred across multiple detention facilities, including military formations in Borno State and Abuja.
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“From Maiduguri, I was taken to the 70th Provost MP Guard Room, then Abuja SIB, where I spent over a month handcuffed and poorly fed,” Olamilekan said.
He claimed his meals were limited to small portions twice daily, and he was denied phone calls or contact with his family.
Despite eventually being formally charged, Olamilekan said he was not allowed a proper defense. “I was dismissed solely because of the video I made,” he said, highlighting the lack of freedom of speech in the country.
He expressed shock at his public dismissal and expulsion from the barracks. “Even after eight years of service with a clean record, I was disgraced and marched out. It is very sad,” he lamented.
Olamilekan appealed to Nigerians and civil society groups for support. “I have no one to fight for me, but I know God will. I ask people to continue standing with me because this is not right,” he said.
Reflecting on his years of service, he said: “I spent four years and nine months in Maiduguri, serving without recognition or relief. They treated me badly, but I remain hopeful.”
His arrest on February 11, 2026, followed the circulation of a viral video where he emotionally described the daily loss of his colleagues on the battlefield.
In the video, he urged top government officials, including ministers, senators, members of the House of Representatives, and local government chairmen, to let their children serve in the Nigerian Army and help combat terrorism and insurgency.
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