Ex-private Ruth Ogunleye has accused Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General T.A Lagbaja, of inappropriate conduct, claiming he requested her nude photos during a video call. Ogunleye, who was recently dismissed from the Nigerian military after alleging rape and sexual harassment by senior officers, made these accusations in a follow-up video released on TikTok.
“In the 1st [of] July 2024, you called me on [a] video call, Lt. General T.A Lagbaja. I know my life is at risk, we are from the same state, but no problem. I felt I could keep this to myself,” Ogunleye began. She alleged that the army chief converted her voluntary discharge into a medical discharge to ensure she would receive pension benefits, stating that she has evidence to back her claims.
“You requested my nude, which I sent to you… and you bought me a phone, [an] iPhone 14 Pro Max. If I lied, come out and say it. So how do you guys bring me out, where is the mental illness?” she added, dismissing claims of her being mentally unfit as the reason for her discharge.
Ogunleye further called on Nigeria’s Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy, to speak up about the role she allegedly played in Ogunleye’s dismissal. Ogunleye claimed that the minister requested her resignation and submitted her voluntary discharge letter to the army on her behalf. “Minister of Women Affairs, Honorable Uju Kennedy, ma, you requested me to leave the job, and I submitted my handwritten voluntary letter to you… everyone was there, including psychiatric doctors when you requested that I should quit,” Ogunleye stated, urging the minister to come forward with the truth.
The Nigerian Army, in its earlier statements, has denied all allegations made by Ogunleye, citing that she was discharged on medical grounds. However, these fresh claims have raised more concerns about the transparency of the military’s internal investigation and the conduct of senior officers. Women’s rights activists and advocacy groups continue to call for an independent investigation into the matter to ensure that justice is served.
The army chief and Minister Uju Kennedy have yet to respond publicly to these latest accusations, but the case continues to garner widespread attention across Nigeria, with many calling for greater accountability within the military.
