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
Tinubu Happy With PAP’s Scholarship Scheme, Stakeholders’ Engagement, Peacebuilding Process – Otuaro
Tinubu Happy With PAP’s Scholarship Scheme, Stakeholders’ Engagement, Peacebuilding Process – Otuaro
•••Says 4500 Students Deployed In Varsities In Nigeria In 2025
By: Michael Mike
The Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Dr Dennis Otuaro, has said that President Bola Tinubu is happy with the significant achievements recorded by the agency in the Niger Delta in about two years.
He spoke at the flag-off of the fourth batch of the two-day “Leadership, Alternative Dispute Resolution, and Mediation Training for PAP Stakeholders” organised by the agency in collaboration with the Alumni Association of the National Defence College (AANDEC) at the Nigerian Army Resource Centre, Abuja, on Monday.
The PAP had in July and August 2025 successfully conducted a similar capacity-building workshop for three batches of its stakeholders at the same military facility.
Otuaro, who said the President is delighted with the agency’s expanded scholarship scheme, inclusive stakeholder engagement, and peacebuilding process in the Niger Delta, urged stakeholders to maintain their position as key players in the region’s peace and development.
According to him, His Excellency, President Tinubu is very supportive of the programme because of his strong desire for the region to enjoy sustainable peace, stability and development.
He reiterated that the workshop is a vital component of the PAP’s peace process with all stakeholders as important partners in the peace initiative.
He stressed that the participants are not only partners for peace, but also the President’s peace ambassadors.
The PAP boss also applauded the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, for his strategic support to strengthen the programme’s initiatives and enable it to achieve the intended objectives for the people of the region.
While declaring the workshop open, Otuaro said, “His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, is very happy with what we have achieved so far in one year and nine months. As stakeholders, you should continue to be key players in the peace and development of the Niger Delta, which His Excellency has been very supportive of and desirous of.
“The objective behind this training is to ensure that all of us are partners in every peace effort in the Niger Delta. This initiative is also to give you a sense of belonging.
“When we organised this workshop in July and August this year, we assured stakeholders that more people would also participate in the training. We don’t want to do the PAP’s work alone. It is a process of putting our heads together to ensure that the region is peaceful and united. When we are united, Mr President will do more for the region.
“We must also realise that peace starts from our communities; you all are leaders in your own rights. I know and acknowledge the support that the Office has received since we came on board. This leadership workshop is part of our peacebuilding process and is designed to ensure that peace is sustained in our region.
“Since we came on board, we have redirected the Programme towards our people and for the next generation. We have achieved a lot. This 2025-2026 academic session, we have sent 4,500 students, our future leaders, on scholarships to universities within Nigeria. We are doing this to invest in the future of our region.”
Otuaro said that his leadership would not be distracted by the smear campaign of some anti-Niger Delta elements who were angry that the programme had been taken to the people of the region, saying “nobody will hold the region to ransom.”
He further urged stakeholders not to be manipulated by political merchants, but to massively support President Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid because of his clear agenda for the region.
Otuaro enjoined the stakeholders to participate actively in the workshop and utilise the lessons they would gain to strengthen peace and development in their communities and the Niger Delta in general.
He also expressed appreciation to the management of the Nigerian Army Resource Centre, resource persons, and the President of AANDEC, Rear Admiral Ndidi Agholor (retd.), for partnering with the PAP to deepen the peace process in the region.
Tinubu Happy With PAP’s Scholarship Scheme, Stakeholders’ Engagement, Peacebuilding Process – Otuaro
NIMC Promotes 523 Staff Members
By: Michael Mike
The DG/CEO of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Engr (Dr) Abisoye Coker-Odusote has approved the promotion of 523 Staff of the Commission.
The promotion, according to a statement on Saturday by the spokesperson of the Commission, Dr. Kayode Adegoke is in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Adegoke said: “This is a statutory part of the performance reward system for Staff who sat and met the pre-requisite conditions as spelt out in the Public Service Rules (PSR) in the 2025 promotion exercise.
He disclosed that accordingly, two staff members were promoted to the Director’s cadre (GL 17), and eight staff members moved to the Deputy Director cadre (GL 16) and 35 staff staff members promoted to the Assistant Director cadre (GL 15).
He further disclosed that 35 staff were promoted to the level of Chief Identity Officers (GL 14), with 109 moving to Assistant Chief Identity Officers (GL 13).
Adegoke said 113 officers moved to the rank of Principal Identity Officer (GL 12), while 82 were promoted to Senior Identity Officer ranks (GL 10), and 130 to the rank of Identity Officer 1 ( GL 9).
The DG/CEO congratulated all the promoted staff and charged them to see the promotion as an opportunity to serve the country better. She reiterated zero tolerance for extortion and warned staff to desist from it.
Engr Coker-Odusote, furthermore, encouraged all staff members of the Commission to work harder in the coming year 2026 and ensure the successful implementation of the National Identification Number project. She reiterated her commitment to prioritise staff welfare and ensure the dignity of labour.
NIMC Promotes 523 Staff Members
VP Shettima Extols Gov Uzodimma’s Progressive Leadership At 67
By: Our Reporter
Vice President Kashim Shettima has congratulated Imo State Governor and Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), Senator Hope Uzodimma, on his 67th birthday, saying his exemplary and progressive leadership within the All Progressives Congress (APC), his state, and the nation at large is worthy of emulation.
He noted that as Chairman of the PGF, an umbrella body of Governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Uzodimma has demonstrated exceptional capacity to unite and galvanise the party’s Governors towards achieving a collective vision for Nigeria’s development under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
The Vice President on Saturday, described the age of 67 as an important milestone in the life of Uzodimma, noting that the special moment reflects how far the Governor has come, and sets the stage for what lies ahead.
Acknowledging how Uzodimma’s “exemplary leadership as Executive Governor of Imo State continues to inspire confidence and progress,” VP Shettima described the PGF Chairman as a committed servant of Nigeria.
“Your recent appointment by His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, as Renewed Hope Ambassador is a well-deserved recognition of your unwavering dedication to the ideals of our administration and your proven ability to articulate and champion the transformative agenda of the Renewed Hope mandate across our nation,” the VP told the Governor.
This singular honour, Senator Shettima said, reflects President Tinubu’s confidence in Governor Uzodimma’s leadership and commitment to national progress.
He observed that the Imo State Governor’s strategic governance, infrastructural achievements, and dedication to the prosperity of his state exemplify the progressive leadership Nigeria needs at this crucial time.
The Vice President prayed the Almighty God to grant Governor Uzodimma continued wisdom, good health, and strength to sustain his “remarkable service to Imo State and Nigeria.”
VP Shettima Extols Gov Uzodimma’s Progressive Leadership At 67
Tinubu Happy With PAP’s Scholarship Scheme, Stakeholders’ Engagement, Peacebuilding Process – Otuaro
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