Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, says the soldier abused by some of her superiors, Ruth Ogunleye, is currently undergoing rehabilitation.
In a post via 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.
She wrote: “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.
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“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.”
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.
According to her, despite reporting the colonel to his superiors, her complaints were dismissed because he had profiled her as being mentally ill.
Meanwhile, in a statement issued by the Minister’s media aide, Ohaeri Joseph, after the visit to the army chief on Friday, the minister said she was adequately updated on the efforts the army has put in place towards resolving the matter.
She was also “informed with documented evidence that the lady’s salary was never stopped as she was paid up to December 2023.”
According to her, “the visit is according to the mandate that the Women Affairs Ministry has to promote the interests of every woman in Nigeria;
“…as 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.
