Former Soldier Calls for Transparency in Sexual Harassment Investigation

 

Private Ruth Ogunleye, a former soldier in the Nigerian Army, is urging the military to publicly disclose the results of its investigation into her allegations of sexual harassment against senior officers. Ogunleye was discharged from the army after accusing Colonel I.B. Abdulkareem of repeated harassment.

In January 2024, Ogunleye shared her experiences on her TikTok account, where she claimed that Colonel Abdulkareem, along with Colonel G.S. Ogor and Brigadier General I.B. Solebo, had harassed her. She alleged that Abdulkareem forcibly removed her from her home, administered injections without her consent, and confined her to a psychiatric hospital after she rejected his advances.

During a press briefing on September 24, Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, the Director of Army Public Relations, stated that a thorough review concluded that Colonel Abdulkareem did not commit the offenses alleged by Ogunleye. He mentioned that medical reports from the National Hospital in Abuja indicated Ogunleye had a condition that made her vulnerable.

After her discharge on June 15, 2024, Ogunleye expressed her appreciation to the Nigerian Army but emphasized the need for transparency regarding the investigation. “I humbly request that the Nigerian Army publish the outcome of the investigation that led to my discharge,” she said.

Ogunleye highlighted her previous complaints on social media about the harassment she faced and requested that the Army share the findings so that the public can understand what happened. She also appealed to the Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy, to speak out about her case, recalling that the minister had encouraged her to resign.

“I’m calling out the Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy. You’re not just a mother; you’re a woman everyone respects. Please come out and tell the truth,” Ogunleye urged. She expressed confusion about being labeled as having a mental illness and questioned the reasoning behind her medical discharge.

“Come out and tell the truth, ma. The Chief of Army Staff told me my voluntary discharge was changed to a medical discharge so I could benefit from a pension. How was I boarded out, and where is this mental illness coming from?” she asked.