The Nigerian Army has promised to conduct a thorough investigation into the allegation of assault of a female soldier by her senior colleagues.
The director of army public relations, Maj. Gen. Nwachukwu Onyema said this in response to a viral video wherein a female army officer named Ruth Ogunleye alleged that some superiors, whom she identified as Col. IB Abdulkareem, Col. GS Ogor and Brig. Gen. IB Solebo, had tormented her immeasurably.
Taking to her @Ogunleyeruthsavage1 on TikTok platform, she spoke about her painful encounters with her superiors, particularly Abdulkareem whom she said had made repeated attempts to assault her by administering injections against her will, forcibly removing her from her residence and sending her to a psychiatric hospital for several months.
Ogunleye said Abdulkareem was particularly responsible for her travails.
She also blamed the officer for her stunted career in army saying he denied her promotion courses because she turned down his sexual advances.
Ogunleye further said she had not received her salary since February 2023, no thanks to the senior officer adding that she had all the evidence to nail him.
“In 2022, I was posted to Cantonment Medical Centre, Ojo, where I met Col IB Abdulkareem who requested sex from me and I refused. Ever since then, this man has been my nightmare in the Army, threatening to dismiss me each time.
“He comes to my room to inject me in my apartment. Send some boys to my house. If I’m lying I have all evidence. I have evidence against him and I have witnesses.
“He also stigmatised me that I have mental illness. Each time I try to expose him or each time any senior person or any senior officer tries to intervene, he will tell them I have a mental illness.
“He (froze) my account for one year. February last year till date, no salary.”
“Anytime he feels like he wants to embarrass me, he asks some soldiers to beat me. After beating me up, they will inject me. He will ask one Funke Ayeni, she is a female soldier, and he will ask her to set me up. She will set me up, inject me and they will go and throw me somewhere. At the end of the day, this Brig. Gen. IB Solebo and some of those senior colonel, they will come to that place, they will be videoing me,” she related.
Ogunleye who solicited the help of Nigerians said she was aware of the consequences of her action.
Besides, she said her father tried to talk to Abdulkareem but he (Abdulkareem) would dismiss insisting that she has to “obey the last command,” which according to her means allowing the officer have his way with her.
Reacting to the report, Onyema said the army would investigate the matter to ascertain the extent of her claims.
He blamed the female soldier for not seeking redress according to the laid-down procedure.
Nevertheless, he said considering the gravity of the allegations, the army as a disciplined force, “will conduct a thorough investigation into the matter.”
He added: “The Nigerian Army has been inundated with audiovisuals making the rounds on social media of the unprofessional conduct of a female soldier in mufti who claimed to have been maltreated by some senior officers.
“We assure the general public that the NA as an institution is committed to upholding the integrity and morals of its personnel and as such, appropriate actions will be taken based on the findings of the investigation.
“We urge the public to allow the investigative process to take its course and refrain from making hasty judgments. The NA remains dedicated to serving our nation with honour and integrity.
