Retired Major Roseline Eyetan has shared her incredible story of survival as a female soldier in Nigeria. Eyetan fought in three wars, including the Liberian war, the early Boko Haram insurgency in Borno state, and the Jos conflict in Plateau state.
As the only woman among 350 battalions in the Liberian war, Eyetan survived the battle. In the early Boko Haram insurgency, she was one of 11 women among 285 battalions, with only 96 individuals, including herself, emerging alive from the ordeal.
Eyetan sustained a bullet wound to the hand during the Jos conflict, which tragically claimed the lives of two individuals positioned behind her.
In an interview with Punch, Eyetan said, “I was on the field and I fought in some wars. I took part in two to three wars. I fought the Liberian war and out of 350 battalions, I was the only woman there and I survived it. Then the second war I fought was the first Boko Haram insurgency in Borno state, we were about 11 ladies who were with the men and we had 285 battalion and out of the 285, only 96 survived it. And among the 96 who survived it, I am among. The last one was in Jos, Plateau state; although I was hit by a bullet in my hand during the battle, after the bullet hit me, it went through and killed two persons behind me; I believe I am lucky to have escaped.”
