In a significant development, the Nigerian Army announced on Tuesday that Private Ruth Ogunleye, a female soldier who had accused a senior officer, Colonel I.B Abdulkareem, of sexual harassment, has been discharged from the service. The Army clarified that Ogunleye was discharged on medical grounds following the conclusion of its investigation into the allegations. DAILYTRUST report.
Ogunleye had made the accusations against Colonel Abdulkareem, along with Colonel G.S Ogor and Brigadier General I.B Solebo, on her TikTok page earlier this year. She alleged that Abdulkareem had attempted to assault her, administered injections against her will, and confined her in a psychiatric hospital for rejecting his advances.
In response to the allegations, the Ministry of Women Affairs intervened, and the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tarooed Lagbaja, ordered a thorough investigation into the matter. The Army spokesperson, Major-General Onyema Nwachukwu, revealed that after a comprehensive review of the facts and evidence, it was determined that Colonel Abdulkareem did not commit the offense of sexual harassment as alleged by Ogunleye.
Furthermore, Nwachukwu explained that Ogunleye had been recommended for discharge on medical grounds since 2022, and the Army had stabilized her condition before discharging her. Medical evaluations at the National Hospital in Abuja confirmed that Ogunleye was suffering from a condition that made her medically vulnerable, leading to the decision to discharge her from service.
Despite not serving the pensionable years of service, Ogunleye was granted a 50% monthly pension for life, along with other benefits such as Terminal Leave Allowance, Terminal Packing Allowance, and contributions to the Nigerian Army Welfare Insurance Scheme and Benevolent Fund. The Army emphasized that the decision to discharge Ogunleye was made in consideration of her well-being and medical condition.
The discharge of Private Ruth Ogunleye from the Nigerian Army marks the conclusion of a complex and sensitive case that has garnered significant attention and raised important issues regarding sexual harassment and mental health within the military.