The recent allegations of sexual harassment of a female soldier by some superior officers in the Nigerian army must not be allowed to be swept under the carpet.

Development Diaries reports that in a viral video on TikTok, the soldier, Ruth Ogunleye, accused some senior officers of mistreatment and abuse.

And in a fresh development, SaharaReporters reports that the female soldier has been arrested and flown from Lagos to Abuja.

Ogunleye alleged that she was being victimised and maltreated because she refused to give in to her superiors’ sexual advances.

Also, while sharing her experiences on TikTok, she claimed that several superior officers had made her life intolerable ever since she enlisted in the army.

These allegations are coming on the heels of several other allegations of human rights abuses by officials of the Nigerian army, all within a week.

Last week, Development Diaries reacted to a report of a viral video depicting soldiers torturing a civilian.

Also, on 13 January, 2024, a video surfaced of Nigerian army personnel assaulting a corps member who trekked for 24 days from Ondo to Abuja to see President Bola Tinubu.

Another media report in December 2023 revealed that soldiers of the Nigerian army ‘tortured’ and ‘brutalised’ a serving police officer in Asaba, Delta State, over ‘wrong parking’.

Although the Nigerian army, in a statement, assured that it is committed to upholding the integrity and morals of its personnel and that appropriate actions will be taken based on the findings of its investigation, the army authorities must ensure that errant personnel are held to account to discourage impunity.

Development Diaries calls on the Nigerian army to also ensure it investigates all other allegations of human rights abuses and makes sure perpetrators are punished accordingly.