‘She’s undergoing rehabilitation’ – says Uju Kennedy; meets abused female soldier

‘She’s undergoing rehabilitation’ – says Uju Kennedy; meets abused female soldier

Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye (right) and the female soldier, Ruth Ogunleye (left).

Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye said the female soldier, Ruth Ogunleye, allegedly abused by some of her superiors, is currently undergoing rehabilitation.

Kennedy-Ohanenye stated this in a post via her official X handle on Friday.The minister said Ogunleye is now on the road to recovery and has been placed under observation by officers of the Nigerian Army and the ministry.

Recall that 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.

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.

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.”

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

In a statement issued by the Women Affairs Minister’s media aide, Mr 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.”“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.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.

Meanwhile, about a week ago, the Nigerian Army promised to investigate the allegations of a female soldier who accused some senior officers of abusing her.