Women affairs minister: ‘Abuse’ of female soldier by senior officers must be probed

Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, minister of women affairs, says the Nigerian Army must investigate allegations of sexual harassment of a female soldier by senior officers.

In a statement on Monday, Kennedy condemned the alleged sexual harassment of the soldier and vowed to intervene in the matter.

In a viral video on TikTok, Ruth Ogunleye, a soldier of the Nigerian army, accused a colonel and two other senior officers of “sexual harassment, intimidation and threat to life”.

The female soldier alleged that the colonel frustrated her life after she rejected his sexual advances.

She said the colonel threatened to dismiss her from the army and stigmatised her with mental illness each time she reported him to his superiors.

She also claimed he forcefully locked her up in a psychiatric hospital and stopped her salary since February 2023.

Reacting to the allegations, the minister said it is very “disturbing”, while noting that she is working to eliminate gender disparity and all forms of violence against women.

“Worried by the content of the viral video which is currently trending on various social media handles in which a Nigerian army female personnel by name Ruth Ogunleye came out with serious allegations of sexual harassment by her superiors, the honorable minister of women affairs, Barr Uju Kennedy Ohanenye has vowed to step into the matter,” the statement reads.

“The Lady alleged that she has been subjected to all forms of unfair treatment and stigmatization by her superiors; Col IB Abdulkareem, Col GS Ogor and Brig. Gen. IB Solebo who according to her, stopped her salary since last year, drugged her and ejected her from her apartment.

“The contents of the video are so disturbing and should not be allowed to be swept under the carpet as women remain weaker vessels and should not be subjected to any form of maltreatment, dehumanization or harassment especially in an egalitarian society where gender balance and fairness should be upheld by all and sundry.

“I need to reiterate my ministry’s displeasure over situations where Nigerian women hold the short end of the stick even as the present administration is working assiduously to stamp out all forms of gender inequality and harmful treatments against the female gender.

“As the minister of women affairs, I remain resolute in my resolve to protect the interest of Nigerian women and strongly condemn the contents of the online video if verified to be true”.

She commended the Nigerian army for its “pedigree on discipline, decorum and comportment”.

The minister called on the high command of the army to ensure the alleged sexual harassment claims are thoroughly investigated and the perpetrators penalised.