Sexual harassment allegation by minister’s aide, Reps panel summons perm sec

Due to allegations of sexual harassment, Ibrahim Lamuwa, the permanent secretary of the ministry of foreign affairs, has been called before the house of representatives committee on international affairs.

Oluwole Oke, a congressman for the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) who represents Osun state’s Obokun/Oriade federal district, serves as the committee’s chair.

Lamuwa will appear before the committee on Thursday, Oke informed the reporters.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Yusuf Tuggar’s married female staffer Simisola Ajayi has accused the permanent secretary of “persistent sexual harassment.”

In a petition through Femi Falana, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Ajayi had informed Tuggar of Lamuwa’s alleged sexual advances.

In the petition, Ajayi said Lamuwa approached her on October 7, 2023, during the first retreat to review President Bola Tinubu’s 4D policy, to ask why she did not pass the night at the hotel after the event.

According to the petition, the permanent secretary informed Ajayi that he would want her to come to his room after the event.

She was said to have declined the invitation, insisting that she was a nursing mother and needed to go home to care for her baby.

Recall that Tuggar informed Folasade Yemi-Esan, head of service of the federation, of the allegations against Lamuwa on May 27, 2024.

The minister said he felt compelled to write Yemi-Esan due to the “gravity of the matter”.

In June, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) invited Ajayi for interrogation on the matter.