The Nigerian Army has dismissed claims of forced labour, unlawful detention, and human rights abuses involving civilians at the Mammy Market area of Eburutu Barracks, Calabar, describing them as “false, misleading, and unsubstantiated.”
In a statement issued on Monday, Major Yemi Sokoya, Assistant Director of Army Public Relations at Headquarters 13 Brigade, clarified that neither 13 Brigade nor 146 Battalion has any policy authorising forced labour, midnight raids, unlawful detention, or the maltreatment of civilians.
The Army explained that routine sanitation and hygiene activities within the barracks, including the Mammy Market, are communal and voluntary, involving both soldiers and civilians. “These routine environmental sanitation activities are non-coercive and aimed solely at maintaining hygiene and safety,” the statement said, adding that they “do not constitute forced labour and are not enforced through intimidation or punishment.”
The Brigade also denied reports of an illegal ₦1,000 levy allegedly imposed on residents and traders within the barracks. “No such levy is authorised,” the Army said, urging the public to report any unauthorised activity carried out in the name of the Nigerian Army, which would be investigated and sanctioned accordingly.
The statement emphasised that 13 Brigade operates under strict command oversight and established Nigerian Army human rights policies, noting that no formal complaints had been received to substantiate the allegations.
“No formal complaint or credible evidence has been received by the Brigade or higher headquarters to support the claims contained in the publication,” it added.
The Nigerian Army called on the public to rely on verified information from official Army channels and urged media organisations to confirm allegations before publication. It reaffirmed its commitment to professionalism, discipline, protection of lives and property, and maintaining cordial civil-military relations.
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