Nigeria Foreign Ministry Officials Accuse Permanent Secretary of Multiple Sexual Harassment Cases

Federal ministry of foreign affairs officials have accused Ibrahim Lamuwa, permanent secretary, of multiple sexual harassment cases and other infractions. A letter to President Tinubu outlines recurring allegations and misconduct, calling for an investigation. Lamuwa denies the claims, attributing them to personal vendettas.

In a letter addressed to President Bola Tinubu, officials from Nigeria's federal ministry of foreign affairs have accused the ministry’s permanent secretary, Ibrahim Lamuwa, of sexual harassment and other serious infractions.

This letter, dated July 3, comes after a married female aide of Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Tuggar, Simisola Fajemirokun Ajayi, alleged in June that Lamuwa had harassed her.

Lamuwa has denied the accusation, claiming that he refused Ajayi’s request for financial assistance during an overseas trip, which prompted her allegations.

The letter, signed by a group of employees under the banner of “concerned and patriotic foreign service officers,” claims that this is not an isolated incident.

They allege that Lamuwa has a history of sexual harassment, including accusations involving minors. Specific instances cited include harassment of children while living in government property in Abuja and incidents during his tenure in Canada and Senegal.

In Senegal, Lamuwa allegedly threatened a female bank official to engage in sexual activities with him, retracting only after a voice recording of the threat surfaced.

Additionally, the letter accuses Lamuwa of leveraging his position to manipulate the ministry’s operations for personal gain. Over the past two years, the group claims Nigerian missions abroad have only received 20% of their budgeted allocation, with Lamuwa allegedly using this shortfall to control the missions.

They allege that he, with the help of the director of finance and account, misrepresented the financial status of the missions to senior officials, further exacerbating the situation.

The employees also argue that Lamuwa claims to have strong connections with high-ranking officials, including the vice-president’s office, using these connections to act with impunity. They have urged President Tinubu to initiate a comprehensive investigation into these allegations to ensure accountability and justice within the ministry.

The officials stress that Lamuwa's actions undermine the integrity of the civil service and pose a threat to society, calling for him to be held accountable for his actions.