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Ex-female soldier calls on Nigerian Army to publish findings on sexual harassment allegations
Former soldier, Private Ruth Ogunleye, who was discharged from the Nigerian Army following allegations of sexual harassment against a senior officer, has called on the military to publicly release the results of its investigation into the case.
Ogunleye first raised the allegations in January 2024 through her TikTok account, @Ogunleyeruthsavage1, accusing Colonel I.B. Abdulkareem of repeated attempts to sexually assault her.
She also named Colonel G.S. Ogor and Brigadier General I.B. Solebo as part of her ordeal, stating that they made her life unbearable.
In her claims, she accused Abdulkareem of administering injections without her consent, forcefully evicting her from her residence, and confining her to a psychiatric hospital after she rejected his advances.
However, during a press briefing, the Director of Army Public Relations, Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, addressed the issue, stating that after an extensive review of evidence, testimonies, and facts presented, the investigation found no wrongdoing by Colonel Abdulkareem.
He further noted that medical reports from the National Hospital in Abuja indicated that Ogunleye was suffering from a medical condition that affected her judgment, leading to her discharge from service.
In response to her discharge, Ogunleye took to TikTok to express her gratitude to the Army, but she also pleaded for the findings of the investigation to be made public, ensuring transparency in the matter.
She 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 on June 15, 2024. I humbly request that the Nigerian Army publish the outcome of the investigation that led to my discharge.
“On January 9, 2024, I came on social media to complain about how I was harassed by Colonel I.B. Abdulkareem, Colonel G.S. Ogor, and Brigadier General I.B. Solebo. I beg the Nigerian Army to post the outcome of the investigation on its social media platforms so that the whole world will know what truly transpired and what led to my discharge. I will be very grateful if my request is considered.”
In a separate post, Ogunleye also called on the Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy, not to remain silent on the matter.
She said that the minister had prevailed on her to write the discharge letter, which she submitted on her behalf to the Nigerian Army.
Ogunleye expressed shock that her discharge was tied to a mental illness.
She said, “I’m calling out the Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy. You’re not just a mother, you’re a woman everybody respects so much. Please come out and say things as they are. Ma, you requested me to leave the job, and I submitted my handwritten voluntary resignation letter to you, which you gave to the Army, and requested that they release me to your office. The psychiatric doctors were there when you intervened.
“Come out and tell the truth, ma. Thereafter, the Chief of Army Staff called me on July 1, where he told me he converted my voluntary discharge to a medical discharge because you wanted me to benefit from pension and other entitlements. How was I boarded out, and where is this mental illness coming from?”
(Punch)