Sexual Harassment: Foreign Affairs Perm Sec, Lamuwa, Suspended

Following allegation of sexual harassment on a married female staff, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Ibrahim Adamu Lamuwa has been suspended from office.

Lamuwa, who had served as Nigeria’s Ambassador to Senegal with concurrent accreditation to the Islamic Republic of Mauritania before his appointment as Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was suspended in accordance with the Civil Service rules and regulations to pave way for an unhindered investigations.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, had upon a petition by Mrs Simisola Fajemirokun Ajayi through her legal Counsel, Femi Falana (SAN) wrote to the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Folasade Yemi-Esan, over allegation of sexual harassment levelled against Ambassador Lamuwa.                                               

Accordingly, Forefront News gathered that Ambassador Lamuwa was directed by the office of the Head of Service of the Federation to step aside and given till Friday last week to vacate office.

Following Lamuwa’s suspension, Ambassador Benaoyagha Okoyen, who is the immediate past Nigerian Ambassador to Cuba, was asked to assume office on Monday in acting capacity.

The petitioner, Mrs. Ajayi had complained that the embattled Permanent Secretary, Amb. Lamuwa harassed her sexually on several occasions and she was therefore finding it difficult to function effectively due to the constant harassment.

In the covering letter to the Head of Service, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, said bearing in mind the gravity of the matter, he felt it necessary to draw the Head of Service’s attention to it and request the office to handle the matter.

Tuggar, in a letter dated May 27, 2024, said he was compelled to write to inform the Head of Service of a formal complaint against the Permanent Secretary, Ambassador Lamuwa on allegations of sexual harassment.

Born in 1967, Ambassador Ibrahim Adamu Lamuwa hails from Funakaye Local Government of Gombe State and joined the Foreign Service in 1993.