The Nigerian Army has dismissed Private Ruth Ogunleye following her public accusations of sexual harassment against senior officers, including Colonel I.B Abdulkareem.
Ogunleye's allegations, made in January 2024 via her TikTok account, claimed that Abdulkareem attempted to sexually assault her, administered injections against her will, forcibly evicted her from her residence, and detained her in a psychiatric hospital after she rejected his advances.
In response to these serious accusations, the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, ordered a detailed investigation.
During a press briefing in Abuja, Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, Director of Army Public Relations, revealed the findings of the investigation. "Upon receipt of her complaint, the Nigerian Army referred the matter to the Military Police for a thorough investigation.
The investigation concluded that Colonel I.B Abdulkareem did not commit the alleged offences," Nwachukwu stated.
The investigation also raised concerns about Ogunleye's mental health. "Medical evaluations at the National Hospital in Abuja confirmed that Ogunleye was suffering from a condition that made her medically vulnerable," Nwachukwu added.
Despite a previous recommendation for her discharge on medical grounds in 2022, the Army extended care to her before ultimately discharging her.
Ogunleye's conduct, both online and offline, further influenced the Army's decision to discharge her on medical grounds rather than pursue disciplinary actions.
Although she was not eligible for full pension entitlements, the Army awarded her a 50 percent monthly pension for life and other benefits.
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