Private Ruth Ogunleye, a former soldier recently discharged from the Nigerian Army, has called on the military to make public the findings of its investigation into her allegations of sexual harassment against senior officers.
Ogunleye, who was relieved of her duties on June 15, 2024, is urging transparency, particularly regarding the events that led to her removal.
Ogunleye first made headlines in January 2024 when she posted a series of accusations on her TikTok account, @Ogunleyeruthsavage1, claiming that her time in the Nigerian Army had been marred by harassment from senior officers. Specifically, she named Colonel I.B. Abdulkareem, Colonel G.S. Ogor, and Brigadier General I.B. Solebo, accusing Abdulkareem of making repeated sexual advances toward her. She further alleged that after rejecting Abdulkareem’s advances, he retaliated by subjecting her to forced medical treatment, including the administration of injections against her will, and confined her to a psychiatric facility for several months.
In response, the Nigerian Army, through its spokesperson Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, issued a statement dismissing Ogunleye’s claims, stating that an internal investigation found no merit to the allegations. General Nwachukwu explained that after a thorough review of testimonies and evidence, it was determined that Abdulkareem was not guilty of the offenses.
The army also pointed to medical reports, including an evaluation at the National Hospital in Abuja, which they claim revealed that Ogunleye suffered from a condition that made her medically vulnerable.
However, Ogunleye has continued to press for the full investigation to be made public. In a recent post on TikTok, she thanked the Nigerian Army for her time in service but pleaded for clarity.
“I humbly request that the Nigerian Army publish the outcome of the investigation that led to my discharge,” Ogunleye said. “I beg the Nigerian Army to post the findings on its social media platforms so that the world will know what truly transpired.”
Ogunleye also called on the Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy, to address the situation. She claimed that the minister had played a role in her resignation, which she believed would be voluntary, only to later learn that her discharge was labeled as medical.
“You asked me to submit my resignation letter, which I did. But later, I was told my discharge was based on mental health grounds,” Ogunleye stated. “I want the truth to be known—how was I boarded out, and where is this mental illness diagnosis coming from?”
As of now, the Nigerian Army has not responded to Ogunleye’s requests for further clarification.
