A former soldier discharged after accusing senior officers of sexual harassment, Private Ruth Ogunleye, has called on the Nigerian Army to release the findings of its investigation into the matter.
In January 2024, Ogunleye, via her TikTok account, alleged that Colonel I.B. Abdulkareem, along with Colonel G.S. Ogor and Brigadier General I.B. Solebo, had subjected her to harassment and mistreatment.
She claimed Abdulkareem repeatedly attempted to assault her and had her confined to a psychiatric hospital for several months after she refused his advances.
However, speaking on Tuesday, the Nigerian Army’s Director of Public Relations, Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, announced that a thorough investigation had been conducted and found no evidence of misconduct by Colonel Abdulkareem.
Nwachukwu added that medical evaluations from the National Hospital in Abuja indicated Ogunleye had a medical condition that rendered her vulnerable, leading to her discharge from service on medical grounds.
Reacting to the army’s decision, Ogunleye posted a video on TikTok, thanking the Nigerian Army but pleading for the investigation’s outcome to be made public.
She expressed her desire for transparency, stating, “I humbly request that the Nigerian Army publish the outcome of the investigation that led to my discharge so that the whole world will know what truly transpired.”
Ogunleye also called out the Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy, urging her not to remain silent on the matter. She revealed that the minister had advised her to submit a voluntary resignation letter, which was presented to the Nigerian Army.
Ogunleye expressed confusion over the army’s decision to discharge her on mental health grounds, questioning the link between her resignation and claims of psychiatric illness.
“The Chief of Army Staff called me and explained that my voluntary discharge was converted to a medical discharge for my benefit, including pension entitlements. But where is this mental illness diagnosis coming from?” she asked in her video.
Ogunleye’s case has sparked public interest, with many calling for the Nigerian Army to clarify the matter and ensure transparency in handling cases involving harassment allegations within the armed forces.
