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
Shettima Hosts Gates Foundation Delegation as 2027 Political Calculations Begin
By: Michael Mike
Nigeria’s Vice President, Kashim Shettima, on Wednesday received a high-level delegation from the Gates Foundation at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, in a visit that observers say comes at a politically sensitive moment ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
The delegation was led by the President of the foundation’s Global Growth and Opportunity division, Hari Menon, and included senior officials of the organisation’s Nigeria office. The team briefed the vice president on the foundation’s ongoing programmes and partnerships in Nigeria.
Posting on his verified Facebook page after the meeting, Shettima commended the foundation for its long-standing support to Nigeria in critical sectors such as health, agriculture and development.
“Yesterday, I received in audience a delegation of the Gates Foundation led by the President of the Foundation’s Global Growth and Opportunity (GGO) division, Mr. Hari Menon, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja,” the vice president said.
“In my interaction with the delegation, I applauded the Gates Foundation for sustaining investments and humanitarian aid in Nigeria. Indeed, the Foundation remains the nation’s strategic partner in the drive to change the Nigerian narrative.”
The visit comes amid growing political conversations about the composition of the ruling ticket ahead of the 2027 presidential election and whether President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will retain Shettima as his running mate.
Although the meeting was officially centred on development cooperation, political watchers say the timing has drawn attention within policy and political circles, especially given the influence of the foundation founded by billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates.
Sources familiar with the engagement said discussions focused largely on the foundation’s interventions in Nigeria, including programmes aimed at improving public health, expanding agricultural productivity and supporting vulnerable populations.
During his visit to Nigeria, Menon also held diplomatic engagements, including a visit to the Indian High Commission where he met with the ambassador, Abhishek Singh.
The Gates Foundation has operated in Nigeria since 2000 and has been a key partner in several national initiatives, particularly in immunisation campaigns, disease control, nutrition and agricultural development. The organisation marked 25 years of its presence in the country in 2025.
Despite its extensive development footprint, some of the foundation’s programmes have occasionally attracted debate in Nigeria, particularly around issues such as genetically modified crops, vaccination initiatives and population policies.
Analysts say that as political alignments gradually begin ahead of 2027, high-profile international engagements by key government figures may increasingly attract attention beyond their immediate development objectives.
Shettima Hosts Gates Foundation Delegation as 2027 Political Calculations Begin
2027: Bill Gates Joins Campaign, Supports Shettima
By:Michael Mike
Nigeria’s Vice President, Kashim Shettima has received a highly anticipated support to continue as President Bola Tinubu’s running mate in the 2027 presidential election from chairman of the Gates Foundation, Bill Gates.
The unusual support according to sources knowledgeable about the matter is a lifeline for the embattled vice president.
Shettima, whose fate as Tinubu’s running mate has been dangling in the balance received the boost after a delegation from Gates Foundation led by the president, Global Growth and Opportunity (GGO), Hari Menon visited Shettima at the Villa on Wednesday.
According to a post on the vice president’s verified Facebook page, the delegation which also included members of the foundation in Nigeria briefed the VP on its activities in Nigeria .
” Yesterday, I received in audience a delegation of the Gates Foundation, led by the President of the Foundation’s Global Growth and Opportunity (GGO) division, Mr. Hari Menon, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
” In my interaction with the delegation, I applauded the Gates Foundation for sustaining investments and humanitarian aid in Nigeria. Indeed, the Foundation remains the nation’s strategic partner in the drive to change the Nigerian narrative, ” Shettima said.
However, the meeting between the vice president and Bill Gates team had another purpose, to pass a vote of confidence on the VP in order to convince President Tinubu to retain him s running mate.
” There have been calls for the president to drop Shettima because of his political baggage and alleged links to the insurgency in the Northeast. Most of the pressure is coming from the United States that currently have soldiers on the ground in nigeria, providing support for the Nigerian military.
” What better way to shore up support than to bring the biggest philanthropist to Nigeria in order to prove that he still hs some international connections, ” the source said.
In his visit to Nigeria, Menon who is of Indian heritage also visited the Indian High Commission to Nigeria, meeting with the ambassador, Abhishek Singh.
The Gates Foundation has been active in Nigeria since 2000 and it celebrated its 25th years in the country last year. Activities of the foundation has also come under scrutiny for many years especially it’s support for population control, Genetically Modified Organisms in agriculture and questionable polio immunisation.
2027: Bill Gates Joins Campaign, Supports Shettima
State Police: Group Commends Tinubu, Urges Accelerated Action
By: Michael Mike
A good governance advocacy group, the Hope Alive Initiative (HAI), has commended President Bola Tinubu for his commitment to addressing Nigeria’s security challenges and for rallying state governors toward a framework for the establishment of state police.
In a press statement issued Wednesday in Abuja by its Director of Press and Communications, Ernest Omoarelojie, the group said lasting peace and stability in the country require a multi-layered approach that empowers communities while strengthening national coordination.
According to HAI, the establishment of state police would enhance citizens’ participation in security matters and align with Nigeria’s federal system.
The group noted that many states already operate regional security outfits and vigilante groups, stressing that legislative backing is necessary to ensure such initiatives function efficiently and complement the federal government’s security architecture.
HAI said localised policing would allow officers to better understand the terrain, culture, and unique security challenges within their communities, thereby improving rapid response and strengthening public trust in efforts to combat crime and insurgency.
The organisation also commended the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) for submitting a proposed state police framework to the Office of the National Security Adviser. It, however, urged governors to intensify support for the existing security architecture to address ongoing threats.
The group further welcomed recent security cooperation agreements between Nigeria and partners including the United States, United Kingdom, and France. According to HAI, the partnerships are expected to strengthen advanced training, intelligence sharing, and technological support in the fight against terrorism, banditry, and organised crime.
HAI emphasised that security remains the foundation of national development, noting that combining grassroots policing with global alliances would help create a safer environment, attract investment, and restore public confidence.
The group also praised the Nigerian military for sustaining operations against terrorists and bandits across the country and urged troops not to relent in protecting communities from criminal elements that target civilians to spread fear and panic.
It expressed confidence that the federal government would continue to provide the armed forces with the necessary equipment and welfare support needed to sustain operations and secure victory against threats to national security.
The organisation further highlighted the significance of President Tinubu’s recent state visit to the United Kingdom, where he was hosted by King Charles III. According to HAI, the visit underscores Nigeria’s growing influence in global affairs.
It added that the President’s engagement with Nigerian community leaders in the UK demonstrated the important role of the diaspora in national development and could encourage greater investment and knowledge transfer to the country.
HAI urged government institutions, civil society organisations, and citizens to support ongoing reforms aimed at strengthening security and building a more prosperous Nigeria.
State Police: Group Commends Tinubu, Urges Accelerated Action
Shettima Hosts Gates Foundation Delegation as 2027 Political Calculations Begin
2027: Bill Gates Joins Campaign, Supports Shettima
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