- I am a man of integrity, she’s out to destroy me —Perm Sec
- Men Against Rape commends minister for bringing allegations to light
Following an alleged sexual harassment of a female ministry staff member, the Head of Service (HoS) has suspended the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Ibrahim Lamuwa, even as he insists that he is a man of integrity.
The Permanent Secretary Lamuwa according to the Head of Service, Folashade Yemi-Esan would be on suspension pending the conclusion of a probe into the allegation against him.
“The permanent secretary has been suspended pending the outcome of the probe by the committee set up, “ a senior director in the OHCSF said. It was learnt that following a petition submitted by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, against Lamuwa, the HoS constituted a committee to look into the matter.
The Men Against Rape Foundation (MARF) had also called for the immediate suspension of the Permanent Secretary pending the outcome of an investigation into serious allegations of sexual harassment while commending the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, “for his decisive and courageous action in bringing these allegations to light.”
In an electronic statement issued by the Foundation’s Executive Director, Lemmy Ughegbe, and Director of Development Communication, Mr. Augustine Eigbe, the Foundation expressed their appreciation for Tuggar’s integrity in addressing the issue head-on.
“We applaud the Minister’s refusal to adhere to the typical code of silence often observed in high offices and his commitment to ensuring justice and accountability.. The Foundation’s stance is clear: any form of harassment and abuse of power must be met with swift and decisive action to protect victims and uphold ethical standards.
“We call for a comprehensive and impartial investigation into the allegations against Ibrahim Lamuwa… The Foreign Affairs Minister’s actions set a powerful precedent for leaders across all sectors, reinforcing that no one is above the law.
“Therefore MARF hopes this incident will mark a significant turning point in the fight against sexual harassment and abuse in Nigerian workplaces”
Simisola Fajemirokun Ajayi, a married ministry employee, made the allegation in a petition to Minister of Foreign Affairs Yusuf Tuggar, which was submitted by her lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN). The petition detailed allegations of sexual harassment and other misconduct by the permanent secretary.
Ajayi, in the petition filed by her lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), outlined alleged instances of harassment.
In a letter addressed to the Head of Service on May 27, 2024, Tuggar expressed his concern over the serious nature of the allegations involving the permanent secretary.
“I am compelled to write to inform you of a formal complaint against the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Ibrahim Adamu Lamuwa, on allegations of sexual harassment.
“Bearing in mind the gravity of the matter, I feel it necessary to draw your attention to it and ask that you handle it accordingly,” the minister stated in the letter.
An official familiar with the case revealed on Wednesday that following the receipt of Tuggar’s letter on the allegation against Lamuwa, the HoS set up a probe panel.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity said, “Yes, the Head of Service has set up a committee to probe the whole matter. There are pieces of evidence, which will be tabled and witnesses who will also be invited to speak on the matter, so it is not a matter that will be swept under the carpet.
“The minister (Tuggar) is also very much interested in the outcome. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is a special ministry that operates even outside the shores of the country, so you can’t expect that an issue of such gravity will be swept under the carpet.”
Ajayi had, in a petition dated May 29, 2024 and addressed to Tuggar, accused the permanent secretary of serial sexual harassment.
Her petition, signed by Adebayo A. Oniyelu LP of Falana & Falana’s, was titled “Request For An Investigation Of Amb. Ibrahim Lamuwa’s Conducts Of Sexual Harassment At The Place Of Work, Abuse Of Office, Official Intimidation And Discrimination.”
There she narrated multiple instances of harassment allegedly by Lamuwa, which had created an unsafe and uncomfortable working environment.
Mrs. Ajayi claimed for instance that during a policy retreat on October 7, 2023, Lamuwa allegedly made inappropriate advances towards her, suggesting she joined him in his hotel room. He reportedly continued with inappropriate remarks throughout the retreat.
She also cited an incident on November 10, 2023, where Lamuwa allegedly invited her to travel to Hong Kong, promising significant personal benefits from the trip.
But denying the allegations, Lamuwa through his lawyers in a document obtained by a Daily Trust stated his own side.
“We are legal representatives of Ambassador Ibrahim Lamuwa (hereinafter referred to as “our client”), the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and have been authorised to make the following statement on his behalf, in response to allegations of sexual harassment levelled against him by Mrs Simisola O. Fajemirokun-Ajayi, an aide to the Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs.
“The media, particularly social media, has been inundated with digital copies of a petition against Amb. Lamuwa signed by Mrs. Simisola O. Fajemirokun-Ajayi’s legal representatives. This petition was clearly leaked to gain sympathy for her unsubstantiated claims.
“We would like to state unequivocally that our client has never made any sexual advances towards Mrs. Simisola O. Fajemirokun-Ajayi, whom he is aware is married, nor has he ever made suggestive comments or innuendos requesting any form of untoward relationship between himself and her.
“Our client vividly recalls the events that occurred at the ministry’s retreat on October 7th, 2023, when Mrs Simisola O. Fajemirokun-Ajayi claims he invited her into his room. Our client categorically states that he never sent such an invitation and that his only overt communication with Mrs Fajemirokun-Ajayi was to check on her, as he did with all participants, to ensure that they were properly lodged in their hotels.
“He further recalls that the instance in which he spoke of her as a nursing mother occurred during the same retreat, in a colloquial conversation with other participants, where one participant even responded jokingly that when a woman says “her baby,” it could mean either her husband or one of her children, to which he innocuously joked, “How big is the baby?” Our client maintains that those conversations were joking, and that their misinterpretation was malicious and intended.
“Our client also believes it is absurd for Mrs Fajemirokun-Ajayi to claim that he invited her to Hong Kong, given that the conversation they were having was about how Hong Kong had digitised its work processes as early as 1999. Our client wonders how such a conversation was interpreted as an invitation for her to accompany him, despite the fact that she is the minister’s aide.
“How can she possibly leave the minister to accompany the permanent secretary on a vacation?” Would not that be the height of delusion for both the one making the request and the one responding to it?
“It is clear that the minister’s aide misinterpreted ordinary conversations, conducted openly and in the presence of other participants, for malicious intent. We believe that these allegations are directly related to our client’s firm objections to Mrs Fajemirokun-Ajayi’s improper requests, particularly those involving financial matters in the Ministry.
“For example, Mrs. Fajemirokun-Ajayi travelled to the World Economic Forum (Davos) and requested reimbursement from the ministry for her expenses. Our client firmly explained to her that, while the ministry may look into ways to reimburse her expenses, it is not appropriate for a trip to be made without prior approval and then funded with taxpayer funds. Following the fact.
“Additionally, Mrs Fajemirokun-Ajayi’s unfamiliarity with civil service rules and processes is evident, as she requested access to policy files and even financial records of high-level ministry activities from our client.” By no means should the permanent secretary, as the ministry’s chief accounting officer, provide such sensitive documents to a ministerial aide, especially over WhatsApp. There are proper procedures in government that must be followed.
“We must emphasise that Mrs. Fajemirokun-Ajayi is a political appointee, not a civil servant. As a result, she is not permitted to discuss financial or policy issues in this case.
“It is critical to note that in his 32 years of service in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, our client has never received a query or report against him that borders on harassment, let alone sexual harassment. During this time, our client served in Hong Kong, Canada, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and, most recently, Senegal, with no negative reports on his conduct in any of these countries.
“Ambassador Lamuwa has also spent nine years in the State House. From the vice president’s office to the chief of staff’s office to the president’s office, and back again, no negative report or allegation has ever been made against him.”
