A soldier sacked by the Nigerian military after she accused some senior officers of rape and sexual harassment has released a video condemning her treatment.
Ex-private Ruth Ogunleye made the allegations via her TikTok account in January, saying she had suffered immensely as a result of her ordeal at the hands of a general and two colonels.
Her allegations caused widespread outrage in Nigeria and prompted the women's minister to discuss the case with the army chief.
After an investigation, the army dismissed her allegations and said the soldier had been discharged on medical grounds as she suffers from a condition that makes her vulnerable, without giving further details.
Ms Ogunleye has now released a second video on Tiktok, in which she calls for the investigation to be made public and describes how she was raped and given an injection by those she accused.
“Firstly I want to thank [army spokesman] General Onyema Nwachukwu for posting me on all social media platforms, newspapers, it shows how powerful I am," she said.
“January 9th 2024, I came on social media to complain of how I was harassed, of how I was raped and how I was injected and put inside a casket.
“How I had a gun pointed at me, was handcuffed and kept inside an office for some days.
“I want to beg the Nigerian army to post the outcome of the investigation on all social media platforms, so that the world would know what transpired,” she noted.
The outcome of the investigation was revealed by Gen Nwachukwu on Tuesday evening.
"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," he said.
He said Ms Ogunleye had been discharged after refusing to get medical treatment from either the National Hospital in the capital, Abuja, or the Nigerian Army.
He went on to accuse her of propagating "false narratives against Colonel Abdulkareem and other senior officers [and] using online platforms to engage in cyberbullying and defamation".
However, women's rights activists have called for an independent investigation.
"The army is known for not wanting to wash its dirty linen in public," Hadiza Ado, founder of Women and Children Initiative, told the BBC.
“If the army investigation are saying she had a medical condition which affects her, then for how long was she in the service with that condition, why coming out to say it now that she was dismissed?” she asked.
Latest Stories
-
Regulators of financial institutions urged to develop policy framework for climate financing
8 mins -
Akufo-Addo: New BoG HQ to enhance reform capacity and investment climate
25 mins -
DRIP initiative improves over 80km of roads in Greater Accra, says RCC
34 mins -
Akufo-Addo to commission over 80 educational projects today
36 mins -
Police to set up Election Task Force Briefing Centre for 2024 polls
37 mins -
AFCON 2025: GFA to apologise to Ghanaians for Black Stars failure
42 mins -
Justice Yonny Kulendi urges Accra Business School graduates to lead with integrity
48 mins -
Ghanaians confident in Mahama’s leadership – Joyce Bawah
49 mins -
GFA to decide Otto Addo’s future next week Wednesday
1 hour -
We’ll decide which party to support in December polls – PNC Chairman
1 hour -
Former President Agyekum Kufuor’s paradoxical support for Dr Bawumia and matters arising
2 hours -
We are yet to benefit from Planting for Food and Jobs Phase II – Rice farmers
2 hours -
Wendy Shay supports Manhean M/A Basic School on World Children’s Day
3 hours -
Omane Boamah assures NDC faithful of close monitoring of election material deployment
3 hours -
Police administration and Election Security Task Force ‘untried and untested’ – Dr. Agordzo
3 hours