Maltreated female soldier saga: Minister warns against cover-up

Mrs. Uju Kennedy Ohanenye, the Minister of Women Affairs, has pledged to conduct an inquiry into the allegations made by Ruth Ogunleye, a female soldier, that certain senior officers subjected her to mistreatment.

Ogunleye, backed by her TikTok account @Ogunleyeruthsavage, exposed severe accusations of intolerable maltreatment at the hands of senior officers and begged Nigerians for assistance in a video that was widely disseminated.

The minister, through her media adviser Ohaeri Joseph, issued a statement in which she underscored the critical nature of promptly addressing these matters in order to safeguard the welfare and equitable treatment of female military personnel.

"The video's material is highly distressing and must not be concealed; women have the right to be free from any form of mistreatment, dehumanisation, or harassment, particularly in an egalitarian society that values gender equality and fairness. In my capacity as the Minister of Women Affairs, I maintain a steadfast commitment to safeguarding the interests of Nigerian women and unequivocally denounce the online video's contents, should they prove to be false."

Mrs. Kennedy-Ohanenye expressed admiration for the Nigerian Army's reputation for upholding discipline, decorum, and conduct. She also alluded to the fact that she had begun correspondence with the Nigerian Army high command in an effort to ensure that the sexual harassment allegations are investigated thoroughly and the perpetrators are appropriately sanctioned.

In a statement released on Friday, Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, the Director of Army Public Relations, affirmed that an investigation would be conducted into the allegations.

He gave Nigerians confidence that the Nigerian Army, "an institution dedicated to safeguarding the morals and integrity of its personnel, will take appropriate measures in this regard." (Radio Nigeria)