Written By Lisa Murimi
A former Nigerian soldier, Ruth Ogunleye, has released a video condemning her dismissal from the military after accusing senior officers of rape and sexual harassment.
In January, Ogunleye took to TikTok to allege that a general and two colonels had raped and harassed her, sparking public outrage and a meeting between Nigeria’s women’s minister and the army chief.
Following an investigation, the army dismissed her claims, stating she was discharged on medical grounds due to a condition that makes her vulnerable, without elaborating.
Ogunleye, however, disputes the findings, releasing a second video in which she demands the investigation be made public.
“I was harassed, raped, injected, and even locked in a casket,” Ogunleye stated. She urged the army to release the full details of the investigation.
Army spokesman Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu responded by stating that the investigation cleared Colonel I.B. Abdulkareem of the allegations and accused Ogunleye of spreading false narratives and engaging in cyberbullying.
Despite the army’s dismissal of her claims, women’s rights activists are calling for an independent investigation.
“The army often avoids airing its internal issues publicly,” said Hadiza Ado, founder of the Women and Children Initiative, questioning the timing of Ogunleye’s dismissal on medical grounds.
