“There are a lot of things I cannot say about the force on record even though I have left…Anything can happen, and I still cherish my life”— Tochi
In the shadows of Nigeria’s esteemed army institutions, a silent epidemic festers, undermining the very fabric of equality and justice. Female soldiers, sworn to defend their nation with honour and valour, are instead forced to confront formidable foes within their own ranks: systemic sexism, harassment, and intimidation. Behind the camouflage of camaraderie and patriotism, women in uniform face a relentless barrage of physical and verbal abuse, coerced relationships, and career-stifling discrimination.
The story of Ex-Private Ruth Ogunleye, a female soldier who was recently dismissed after reporting cases of sexual harassment by senior officers; Colonel I. B. Abdulkareem, Col. G. S. Ogor, and Brig. Gen. I. B. Solebo, is just one of many that have made headlines, however, many have not. These stories, long suppressed, now demand attention, exposing a culture of misogyny that threatens to upend the Nigerian Army’s proud legacy and undermine its effectiveness. As we shed light on these dark realities, we honour the courage of those who dare to speak truth to power.
The many faces of prejudice against female soldiers
Over the years, female soldiers have come forward, sharing heart-wrenching accounts of sexual harassment, verbal abuse, and coerced relationships by senior male counterparts. These experiences are not isolated incidents but rather a pervasive culture of sexism and misogyny.
Sexual assault and gender-based violence
For 10 long years, Beauty Igbobie Uzezi, a former aircraftwoman with the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), struggled to get justice after she was drugged and gruesomely raped by her superior. When Uzezi enlisted into the NAF on August 15, 2010, with Service No. NAF10/25157F, she did not envisage that a randy officer, Flight Lieutenant B.S. Vibelko, who was her trainer, would inflict life-threatening pains on her and terminate her career.
Uzezi, who was 19 at the time, had alleged that on May 17, 2011, she was “sexually assaulted, brutally raped, and de-flowered” by Vibelko at the NAF Base, Kaduna. According to her, Squadron Leader Ejiga informed her orally on October 19, 2015, that she had been dismissed from the NAF. She was then taken to the guardroom, detained, and forced to serve a 98-day sentence with hard labour imprisonment.
In her suit filed at the ECOWAS Court through her counsel, Marshal Abubakar of Femi Falana’s law firm, Uzezi stated that the officer overpowered her by hitting her head against the wall several times until she fainted, then he had his way with her.
Beyond the rape, she contracted a Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) that had resulted in a pelvic inflammation that affected her uterus. She equally alleged that beyond her physical injuries and the infection, she has since then been experiencing intermittent fainting bouts, severe vaginal discharge, dizziness, and a swollen vulva.
Harassment and intimidation
Tochi, who joined the army as a 14-year-old child, shares her bitter experience, which forced her to leave the Nigerian army. “I was fully ready to begin my journey in the force. I thought it would be an exciting ride because it was what I had always wanted to do… But I was shocked when an officer approached me, asking me to be his ‘baby’… He kept applying pressure, and when I was adamant, he started to intentionally punish me.”
Seeking help, Tochi took the bold step to speak and report her aggressor, but the result was more than she bargained for. “The mistake I made was to report him to another superior officer. They both made the camp a living hell for me, and I spent most of my time serving different punishments and not the main reason I was there, which was to train and become better.”
Sharing more details, she added, “I slept in the mud, rolled on the floor, sat facing the sun, and I almost lost my sight from not sleeping enough. But there was really nothing I could do. The other girls, I learnt, who refused to give in also went through something similar or even worse.”
After completing the compulsory one-year training, Tochi revealed that she was forced to work with her assailant as an administrative assistant. What followed were two torturous years that she likens to “working for the devil.”
“I received a phone call from him one night, threatening to deal with me if I kept on being adamant. At that point, I was fed up and decided to resign.” But it wasn’t until after four long years of brutal back-and-forth and enduring abuse before she was set free.
However, Tochi may never be truly free. “Immediately I left, I developed paranoia. The threats I received keep replaying in my head… There are a lot of things I cannot say about the force on record, even though I have left… Anything can happen, and I still cherish my life. I am not married yet, and I have no kids, so I have a whole life ahead of me.”
Workplace discrimination
In Nigerian society, particularly in the workplace, most women have historically been constrained to the bottom rungs of the social ladder. When the story is extended to the Nigerian Armed Forces, which includes the Air Force, Army, and Navy, it becomes clear that the number of women serving is drastically out of proportion to the number of males. None has attained the highest rank in the military yet—Service Chief.
On November 13, 2017, the Nigerian Military implemented a major policy reversal excluding female cadets from the combatant course of the Nigerian Defence Academy, and no official explanation was given by the Nigerian Military or the Armed Forces Council for this policy, which is a direct reversal of a policy implemented just six years before.
The Armed Forces has the “Regular Combatant Commission”, the “Short Service Combatant Commission”, the “Direct Regular Commission”, the “Direct Short Service” and the “Executive Commission”. All the commissions have a limited career path except for the Regular Combatant Commission.
Only personnel enlisted in this commission have the opportunity to head any service or become Chief of Defence Staff. With the policy reversal, this means that women, who are excluded from combat, will never be able to attain such heights in the Nigerian military.
Is breaking the silence enough?
While breaking the silence is an important step, it is not enough to end the scourge of sexual violence in the army. Female soldiers continue to face numerous barriers, including fear of retaliation, stigma, shame, lack of trust, and power imbalance that we have seen come to play over and over.
While the Nigerian Army has taken steps in the right direction by establishing the Gender Policy (2020) and the Sexual Harassment and Assault Response and Prevention (SHARP) program, it is crucial to also create a safe and supportive environment for female soldiers.
The Nigerian Army must establish confidential reporting channels, ensure independent investigations, and hold perpetrators accountable. Demonstrating top-down commitment to addressing sexual violence is also necessary to foster a culture of respect, inclusivity, and zero tolerance.
The harassment, intimidation, and belittling of female soldiers in the Nigerian Army demand attention and action. It is imperative to create a safe, inclusive environment where female soldiers can serve without fear of mistreatment. By acknowledging the problem and working towards solutions, we can ensure the well-being and success of all soldiers, regardless of gender.
