National News
Faceless Petition Against Lamuwa Addressed to President Tinubu Surfaces
…Sources Insist it is a Product of Lobbyists for Juicy Ambassadorial Postings
By: Michael Mike
Some faceless officers of the federal ministry of foreign affairs have accused Ibrahim Lamuwa, suspended permanent secretary in the ministry, of “multiple cases of sexual harassment and other infractions, even as they called for the review of ambassadorial posting that he oversaw.
In June, Simisola Fajemirokun Ajayi, a married female aide of Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, minister of foreign affairs, accused Lamuwa of sexual harassment and
allegation denied by Lamuwa, who claimed that he turned down Ajayi’s request to pay her bills during an overseas trip and was the reason for the hatchet job on him.
The permanent secretary following allegation from Ajayi and subsequent request to the Head of Service by the Minister of Foreign Affairs for enquiry into the case had faced probe from the Office of Head of Service, National Assembly and ICPC.
However, a new twist was introduced to the entire issue when a letter dated July 3 was addressed to President Bola Tinubu by some employees in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, under the aegis of “concerned and patriotic foreign service officers,” claiming that the accusation against Lamuwa by Ajayi was not the first of its kind.
They added that sexual harassment allegations against the permanent secretary have become “a recurring feature in his entire public service career,” including harassment of children.
They also alleged in the letter that: “His unbridled sexual assaults and harassment on minors and women is legendary.
“Cases include harassment of neighbours’ children, as a young officer, while occupying government property at the foreign affairs quarters in Gwarimpa, Abuja; the inglorious removal from his post in Canada to avoid an impending declaration of persona non-grata (PNG), and sexual assault cases involving a large number of locally-recruited staff in our mission in Dakar, Senegal.
“In Senegal, while serving as ambassador and principal representative of Mr President, ambassador Lamuwa threatened a female bank official, saddled with the management of the embassy’s account, that he would ensure the movement of the mission’s account to another financial institution in the event that she does not agree to engage in sexual activities with him.
“It took the voice recording of the incident before Ambassador Lamuwa could withdraw from his inherent evil intentions.
“More recently at the ministry’s headquarters, a married female policy officer tasked with the implementation of presidential reforms could not resist the intense pressure, and she succumbed to Ambassador Lamuwa’s threat and was duly rewarded for her compliance in the yet-to-be-released 2024 posting exercise without due diligence.
“All these incidents could have been avoided if a system of checks and balances was in place in the administration of the ministry, with the appointment of under-secretaries.”
Aside from the issue of sexual harassment, the group also accused the permanent secretary of sabotaging the ministry.
“In the last 24 months, all Nigerian missions abroad have received 20 percent of their budgeted allocation.”
They claimed: “The affected missions wrote to Amb. Lamuwa, more than 21 months ago, to appeal for the budget shortfall, a result of the government’s policy on the unification of the exchange rate, to be brought to the attention of Mr President, but Ambassador Lamuwa rather devised a plan to suffocate missions and utilize the untoward situation for his personal gains.
“With the assistance of the director of finance and account (DFA), Amb. Lamuwa suppressed all missions’ desperate appeal and began to peddle a misrepresentation to the honourable minister of foreign affairs and other high-level government officials that missions are financially buoyant and the only reason they were writing was that officers at posts, who are diligently serving the country, wanted an excuse not to return. Even with several inquiries from the state house, Amb. Lamuwa remained obstinate in his covetous plot.
“The far-reaching implication is that the jaundiced posting, as he had orchestrated and implemented, will give him unimpeded control over all the missions more than Mr President and the honourable minister of foreign affairs.”
They said embassies and offices in Asia—Rome, Geneva, Brussels, Tehran, and Bern—are drawing in debt and unable to pay rent and salaries.
They accused Lamuwa of demonstrating impunity by claiming to be well-connected to principals at the State House, particularly the office of the vice-president.
“Ambassador Lamuwa is not an example of what the civil service should promote or be proud of, as he has indeed shown great disrespect and disregard for the service and government processes,” the group added.
“Such individuals are a potent threat to society and should be confined to the walls of rehabilitation or correction facilities.”
The concerned ministry of foreign affairs officers asked President Tinubu to “direct a wider investigation of the issues stated in the letter to ascertain the facts and for necessary actions”.
A highly placed officer in the ministry who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the letter by the faceless group who the product of those who are looking for ways to rubbish the ambassadorial posting that Lamuwa superintended over.
He said: “The rule is that if you are writing a petition you should be bold enough to put your names on it. And that the excuse that the officials might be victimized is never acceptable as it would be hard to persecute officers that may be more than ten in the civil service for writing a petition.”
He added that at the moment against the rule of the foreign service that career officers should not lobby for posting many career ambassadors waiting to be posted are lobbying emirs, kings, imams, pastors and officials in the presidency to help them get what they see as favourable and juicy posting.
He said while it is already in the public domain the allegations against Lamuwa, but the faceless petition to the president without first addressing it to the minister was a ploy to rubbish the entire process of ambassadorial posting which is almost concluded in order to smuggle some names of the list and to position them for “juicy” postings.
Faceless Petition Against Lamuwa Addressed to President Tinubu Surfaces
National News
ECOWAS Court Delegation Undertakes Study Visits on Enforcement of Human Rights Decisions
ECOWAS Court Delegation Undertakes Study Visits on Enforcement of Human Rights Decisions
By: Michael Mike
A delegation from the Community Court of Justice (ECOWAS Court) led by the President of the Court, Justice Ricardo Cláudio Monteiro Gonçalves embarked on a study visit to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, and other key institutions in Sweden.
The tour, which took place between 23 and 29 November 2025, has as core objective to provide the delegation from the ECOWAS Court with practical insights into the enforcement of human rights judgments from regional and international courts.
According to a statement from ECOWAS Court, the weeklong visit focused on learning from the experiences of other international courts and institutions, while also providing a platform for the ECOWAS Court to share its own experiences.
The statement further revealed that the study visit was intended to enhance the ECOWAS Court’s enforcement mechanisms and significantly improve compliance with its human rights judgments.
The visit was organised by the Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law (RWI) as part of its programme aimed at increasing the implementation of human rights decisions of continental and regional human rights institutions in Africa.
The delegation led by the President of the Court included the Hon. Vice-President of the Court, Justice Sengu Mohamed Koroma, and Members of the Court, Justice Gberi-Bè Ouattara and Justice Dupe Atoki. Others were the Chief Registrar of the Court, Director of Research and Documentation, as well as selected staff of the Registry, Administration and Finance Department and the Language Services division of the Court. Two staff of the Raoul Wallenberg Institute were also present.
ECOWAS Court Delegation Undertakes Study Visits on Enforcement of Human Rights Decisions
National News
Onaiyekan Asks Tinubu to Equip the Current Security Operatives for Better Performance, Drop Employment of 20,000 Policemen
Onaiyekan Asks Tinubu to Equip the Current Security Operatives for Better Performance, Drop Employment of 20,000 Policemen
By: Michael Mike
Former Archbishop of Abuja Catholic Diocese, Cardinal John Onaiyekan has told President Bola Tinubu to treat as top priority the equipping of the present crops of policemen and security operatives to combat the perennial insecurity in the nation instead of giving order for the employment of additional 20,000 policemen.
Speaking at the 9th International Conference on Love and Tolerance in Abuja, the respected cleric warned that the nation cannot afford delays in tackling insecurity.
He said: “Right now in Nigeria, we have to build bridges so that all of us, Christians and Muslims, can jointly face our common enemy… Those who are killing us.
“We have finally agreed that we shall join hands and face them. And if we join hands, we can deal with them now. We should be able to deal with them.”
He added that: “With all these wonderful soldiers and police, we should be able to deal with them. I’m not even sure we need 20,000 more policemen. I believe they are the ones we have right now. Arm them well, treat them well, and they will do their job.”
He said: “There is no need to deploy 20,000 policemen. We could use the policemen we have. I’m not an expert, but to train them and then deploy them, for an emergency. Let the experts tell me how long does it take to deploy 20,000 people. I guess we are talking of one year. In one month, this country can be destroyed.”
“So I’m saying we should look at a strategy that will address the issue right now. We should equip the policemen we have now, who are already trained though, but they are carrying bags for madams. It’s good that they have been withdrawn; Let them start working.
“And let there be the political will to flush the terrorists out of the forest. And we are glad that the language that our president spoke yesterday; but weve been listening to that since two years ago.
“What do you have police for? That’s their job. It’s not even the job of the army. It’s the job of the police.” He said.
He also reflected on global religious harmony, warning that Nigeria faces increasing local polarisation despite global unity efforts, referencing the “Abu Dhabi document” signed by Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of Al Azhar.
A renowned activist and Former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani, highlighted the root causes of intolerance and conflict, noting that human differences in wealth, power, race, and religion often drive dominance and resistance.
He emphasized that differences are natural and unavoidable, and that peace and tolerance begin with recognizing and accepting human diversity.
Sani expressed concern over shrinking freedom of speech, insisting that the arrests and social media scrutiny threaten open dialogue, and urged that love, understanding, and respect for differing opinions are essential for building a harmonious society.
On his part, the President of UFUK Dialogue Foundation, Emrah Ilgen, whose organisation convened the international conference, said the gathering was created to address the urgent need for healing in a deeply divided world.
He said the theme “Bridging Divides: Building Trust in a Polarized World” was chosen to confront rising global and local tensions, emphasising that the world is experiencing dangerous levels of mistrust driven by misinformation, fear, ethnic divisions, and religious misconceptions.
He explained that UFUK Dialogue has, for more than a decade, committed itself to building bridges between communities and promoting dialogue that encourages understanding rather than suspicion.
“Humanity is strongest when it chooses dialogue over suspicion, compassion over conflict, and understanding over prejudice,” he said.
In his welcome address, Director General of the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution, Dr. Joseph Ochogwu, represented by Dr. Emmanuel Mamman, said Nigeria is facing deepening mistrust, widening identity divides, and increasing misinformation, stressing that trust must be rebuilt through fairness, dialogue, and inclusion of women and youths.
He said: “Polarization is not destiny. Mistrust, though deep, remains reversible.”
The DG added that traditional and religious institutions remain pillars of social harmony, and collaboration with groups like UFUK Dialogue is essential in restoring national cohesion.
Onaiyekan Asks Tinubu to Equip the Current Security Operatives for Better Performance, Drop Employment of 20,000 Policemen
National News
VP Shettima Mourns Passing Of Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi, Says Nigeria Has Lost A Beacon Of Knowledge
VP Shettima Mourns Passing Of Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi, Says Nigeria Has Lost A Beacon Of Knowledge
By: Michael Mike
Vice President Kashim Shettima has expressed deep sadness over the passing of revered Islamic scholar, Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi, leader of the Tijjaniyya Muslim Brotherhood in Nigeria, who died at the age of 101.
VP Shettima noted that Sheikh Dahiru’s extraordinary longevity was itself a divine blessing that allowed multiple generations of Nigerian Muslims to benefit from his profound knowledge, wisdom, and spiritual guidance.
In a condolence message on Thursday, the Vice President described the late spiritual leader as one of Nigeria’s greatest Islamic scholars whose teachings and exemplary life touched millions of Muslims across the country and beyond.
He said: “We have lost a spiritual guide, a teacher, and a moral compass whose dedication to Islamic scholarship spanned more than a century. Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi was among the great pillars of Islamic knowledge in our time. His life was a demonstration of faith, learning, and service to Allah and humanity.
VP Shettima noted that the Sheikh’s extraordinary life allowed multiple generations of Nigerian Muslims to benefit from his profound knowledge, wisdom, and spiritual guidance.
He praised the late Islamic scholar’s lifelong commitment to spreading Islamic knowledge and his pivotal role in strengthening the Tijjaniyya Brotherhood in Nigeria and West Africa.
“We find comfort in knowing he lived a long, fulfilled life devoted to Allah and to uplifting humanity. His legacy of scholarship and service will continue to inspire us all,” the Vice President added.
“I pray that Almighty Allah will forgive his shortcomings and grant him Aljannatul Firdaus. May Allah also grant his family, the Tijjaniyya Brotherhood, and the entire Muslim Ummah the fortitude to bear this loss,” VP Shettima said.
VP Shettima Mourns Passing Of Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi, Says Nigeria Has Lost A Beacon Of Knowledge
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