The ministry of women affairs has commended the Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gen Taoreed Lagbaja for making moves to resolve the case of female soldier Ruth Ogunleye who accused her superior officers of sexual harassment and intimidation.
Corporal Ogunleye had made a viral video detailing her ordeal. She narrated how officers whom she identified as Col. I.B. Abdulkareem, Col. G.S. Ogor and Brig. Gen. I.B. Solebo, oppressed her because she refused their sexual advances since resuming duties at the Cantonment Medical Centre, Ojo, Lagos in 2022.
Based on her outcry, she was arrested by the military police and flown to Abuja where she is being detained by the army with the claim that she is mentally disturbed.
Speaking on the development the minister of women affairs Uju Kennedy Ohanenye, who paid Ogunleye a visit on Thursday said in a post on her X handle.
“In keeping with my earlier resolve, I was at the facility where the female soldier, Ruth Ogunleye, is undergoing rehabilitation earlier this week.
“Aside from the noticeable improvement from my last visit to her, she was in high spirits and we interacted cordially.
“I am impressed and must commend the Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gen Taoreed Lagbaja for the top notch care and attention given to her by the Army through the deployment of their personnel to the facility.
“On our own part, the Ministry also deployed a desk officer to monitor her recovery in keeping with our mandate to promote the welfare and wellbeing of Nigerian Women.”
A statement issued by the Women Affairs Minister’s media aide, Mr Ohaeri Joseph, also said: “The visit is according to the mandate that the Women Affairs Ministry has to promote the interests of every woman in Nigeria; she has received strong assurances from the Chief of Army Staff concerning this matter and has equally detailed some senior officers to accompany her to visit Ms. Ogunleye.
“The minister interacted with her and was optimistic that the outcome would be fine,” the statement noted.
Meanwhile two civil society organisations – Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Center (RULAAC) and Civil Rights Realisation and Advancement Network (CRRAN) – have called for the immediate release of detained Corporal Ogunleye who accused some senior army officers of sexual harassment.
The groups in a joint statement signed by RULAAC Executive Director, Okechuwu Nwanguma and CRRAN President, Olu Omotayo Esq, faulted the claim by the Nigerian Army that the female soldier had not officially exhausted the available institutionalised channels before going on the social media.
