A FORMER Nigerian soldier, Ruth Ogunleye, who was dismissed by the military after accusing senior officers of rape and sexual harassment, has released a video condemning her treatment and demanding the public release of the investigation’s findings.
Ogunleye first made her allegations in January through her TikTok account, claiming she had suffered abuse at the hands of a general and two colonels. Her accusations sparked outrage across Nigeria, prompting the Women’s Minister to raise the issue with the Chief of Army Staff. However, after an internal investigation, the Nigerian Army dismissed her claims and stated that she was discharged on medical grounds due to a condition that made her vulnerable, without providing specific details.
In her latest video, posted on TikTok, Ogunleye renewed her calls for transparency, recounting the traumatic events she says she endured. ‘On January 9th 2024, I came to social media to share how I was harassed, raped, injected, and kept inside a casket,’ she said. ‘I was handcuffed, held in an office for days, and had a gun pointed at me.’
She went on to urge the Nigerian Army to publicly share the outcome of their investigation, adding, ‘I want the world to know what transpired.’
Responding to the allegations, Army spokesperson General Onyema Nwachukwu revealed on Tuesday that the matter had been thoroughly investigated by the Military Police. The investigation concluded that Colonel I.B. Abdulkareem, one of the accused, did not commit the offences. He also stated that Ogunleye had been discharged from service after refusing medical treatment, accusing her of spreading false narratives and using social media for cyberbullying and defamation.
Despite the Army’s dismissal of the accusations, women’s rights groups have called for an independent investigation. Hadiza Ado, founder of the Women and Children Initiative, expressed concerns about the Army’s handling of the case. ‘The Army is known for avoiding public scrutiny of internal matters,’ Ado said in an interview with the BBC. ‘If they claim she has a medical condition, how long was she serving with that condition, and why is it only coming to light now after her dismissal?’
The case has highlighted broader concerns about transparency and accountability in the Nigerian military, with activists continuing to push for further inquiry into Ogunleye’s claims and the treatment of women in the armed forces.
