Uju Kennedy visits soldier ‘abused by senior officers’, says she’s undergoing rehabilitation

Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, minister of women affairs, says Ruth Ogunleye, a soldier allegedly abused by some of her superiors, is currently undergoing rehabilitation.

In a post on X, Kennedy-Ohanenye said Ogunleye is now on the road to recovery and has been placed under observation by officers of the Nigerian Army and the ministry.

The soldier had in a viral video alleged that she was stigmatised, intimidated and sexually harassed by a colonel and two other senior officers.

She accused the colonel of frustrating her life after she turned down his sexual advances, adding that he stopped her salary in February 2023.

She said despite reporting the colonel to his superiors, her complaints were dismissed because he had profiled her as being mentally ill.

Earlier, the women affairs minister visited Taoreed Lagbaja, the chief of army staff (COAS), over the issue.

She also asked the army to thoroughly probe the case as she would not allow it to be “swept under the carpet”.

“In keeping with my earlier resolve, I was at the facility where the female Soldier, Ruth Ogunleye is undergoing rehabilitation earlier this week,” the minister said.

“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 well-being of Nigerian women.”