The Nigerian Army has officially discharged Private Ruth Ogunleye after she accused senior officers of sexual harassment. Ogunleye had made allegations against Colonel I.B Abdulkareem, Colonel G.S Ogor, and Brigadier General I.B Solebo through her TikTok account in January 2024, claiming they had made her life unbearable, with Abdulkareem allegedly attempting to assault her and confining her to a psychiatric hospital.
Following her claims, the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, ordered a comprehensive investigation into the matter. However, after an extensive review, the Army determined that the accusations against Abdulkareem were unfounded.
During a press briefing, Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, Director of Army Public Relations, stated that the investigation found no evidence to support the sexual harassment allegations. He further revealed that Ogunleye had been recommended for discharge on medical grounds as early as 2022 due to deteriorating mental health, a decision the Army ultimately acted upon after offering her treatment.
In light of her condition, the Army decided against pursuing disciplinary actions for her misconduct. Instead, she was medically discharged and granted a 50 per cent monthly pension for life, despite not meeting the service requirements for full pension benefits.
