Ex-Soldier Urges Nigerian Army to Release Investigation Report Following Sexual Harassment Allegations

By Iyojo Ameh

A former female soldier, Private Ruth Ogunleye, who was recently discharged from the Nigerian Army following sexual harassment allegations against senior officers, has appealed to the military command to publicly release the outcome of its investigation into the matter.

In January 2024, Ogunleye took to her TikTok page, @Ogunleyeruthsavage1, to accuse Colonel I.

B. Abdulkareem of repeated attempts to assault her, forcibly administering injections, evicting her from her residence, and confining her to a psychiatric hospital for months after she rejected his advances. She also implicated Colonel G.S. Ogor and Brigadier General I.B. Solebo, claiming they played roles in making her life miserable.

However, Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, the Nigerian Army’s spokesperson, stated on Tuesday that an exhaustive review of the facts, testimonies, and evidence presented in the case found no evidence of wrongdoing by Colonel Abdulkareem. According to Nwachukwu, medical reports from the National Hospital in Abuja indicated that Ogunleye was suffering from a condition that made her medically vulnerable, which may have influenced the situation.

Ogunleye, who was officially discharged on June 15, 2024, has reacted to the decision, thanking the Nigerian Army for their service but requesting that the outcome of the investigation be made public.

In a video posted online, Ogunleye said, “I want to say a big thank you to the Nigerian Army and its spokesperson, Maj. Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu. It is no longer news that I was discharged from the service. I humbly request that the Nigerian Army publish the outcome of the investigation that led to my discharge. The whole world deserves to know what truly transpired.”

She reiterated her accusations from January and urged the military to post the findings on its social media platforms, emphasizing her desire for transparency.

In addition to her request to the Army, Ogunleye has appealed to the Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs. Uju Kennedy, not to remain silent on the matter. She revealed that the minister had encouraged her to write her discharge letter, which was subsequently submitted to the Army.

Ogunleye expressed surprise that her discharge was attributed to a mental health condition, despite her voluntary resignation. “I’m calling out the Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy. You requested me to leave the job, and I submitted my handwritten voluntary resignation letter to you. How was I boarded out, and where is this mental illness coming from?” she questioned.

She also alleged that the Chief of Army Staff had informed her that her voluntary discharge had been converted to a medical discharge to ensure she could benefit from pension and entitlements. Ogunleye remains puzzled by the introduction of mental illness into the case, which she insists was not part of her original resignation.