By Abiola Olawale
The ongoing sexual harassment scandal rocking the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has continued to take different twists and turns as the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has reportedly invited a personal political aide to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the accuser of the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mrs Simisola O. Fajemirokun-Ajayi, for interrogation.
Reports emerging on Friday revealed that Fajemirokun-Ajayi who had raised sexual harassment accusations against suspended Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Ambassador Adamu Ibrahim Lamuwa, was directed by the anti-graft agency to show up at its headquarters in Abuja today, Friday, June 14, 2024.
In a letter purportedly signed by S. Yahaya, acting director of operations at the ICPC, and addressed to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, the agency requested to him to release Fajemirokun-Ajayi, his aide, for an interview on Friday (today).
The letter reads in part: “Given the above and under sections 28 and 40 of the said Act, you are kindly requested to release and direct Mrs Simisola Fajemirokun-Ajayi of the Ministry to appear for an interview before the undersigned at the Commission’s Headquarters, Abuja, on Friday, 14 June 2024 at 10:00 hours.”
Meanwhile, the New Diplomat reports that while the reason for the invitation remains sketchy as of press time, it is coming amid the ongoing sexual harassment scandal currently rocking the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Recall that following the emergence of Fajemirokun-Ajayi’s allegations of sexual harassment against Lamuwa, the Head of Service of the Federation, Folashade Yemi-Esan, had raised a high-level probe panel to investigate the grave allegations and come up with far-reaching recommendations.
This also comes a few days after Lamuwa, in his own submission, had refuted the accusations of sexual harassment made by Fajemirokun-Ajayi, saying that the allegations are an attempt to tarnish his integrity, character, and hard-earned image.
Lamuwa, in a responding letter filed by the Permanent Secretary’s legal representative, Audu Anuga, a long-standing Senior Advocate of Nigeria(SAN), Lamuwa said his stance on financial prudence and adherence to due process resulted in discord with Fajemirokun-Ajayi, who later accused him of sexual harassment.
He had revealed that the real trouble started when he declined unlawful requests by Fajemirokun-Ajayi to access certain ministry documents that were too sensitive for her clearance level as a political appointee. This is because by the Foreign Service laws and rules, all political aides in the ministry are barred from having access to policy files, and also acting on behalf of the MFA.
Lamuwa’s letter reads in part: “It is clear that the minister’s aide has misinterpreted ordinary conversations, made openly and in the presence of other participants, for untoward intentions. We believe that these allegations are directly tied to our client’s firm objections raised regarding improper requests that Mrs Fajemirokun-Ajayi made, particularly regarding financial matters in the ministry.
“For example, Mrs Fajemirokun-Ajayi made a trip to the World Economic Forum (Davos), for which she sought reimbursement from the ministry. Our client firmly explained to her that while the ministry may look at avenues to refund her expenses, it is not the appropriate process for a trip to be made without approval, and then funded with taxpayers’ money.
“Further to this, is the fact of Mrs Fajemirokun-Ajayi’s unfamiliarity with civil service rules and processes where she had requested from our client access to policy files and even financial records of high-level activities of the ministry. By no means, should the permanent secretary, as chief accounting officer of the ministry provide such sensitive documents to an aide of the minister, worse via a WhatsApp chat. There are due processes in government, and they must be followed.
“We must emphasise that Mrs Fajemirokun-Ajayi is a political appointee and not a civil servant. Thus, matters of finance and policy are out of bounds for her in this instance.
It would be recalled also that Fajemirokun-Ajayi, in her petition against Lamuwa dated May 29, 2024, and filed by the Law firm of Femi Falana, SAN, had detailed multiple instances of alleged sexual harassment purportedly perpetrated by Lamuwa.”
In the petition, Fajemirokun-Ajayi detailed how Lamuwa allegedly made inappropriate sexual advances towards her, urging her to join him in his hotel room, during a policy retreat held on October 7, 2023.
The petition reads in part: “While our client was about to excuse herself, Amb. Ibrahim Lamuwa thoughtlessly put his arms around our client’s arms and demanded a full frontal hug which she rejected. The Honourable Minister would recall that sometime in March 2024, our client discussed with you concerning her safety for fear of not being raped by Amb. Ibrahim Lamuwa resulting from the consistent sexual harassment reported even as a married woman.
“Upon her unfortunate predicament with the Permanent Secretary, the Honourable Minister assured our client of a change of behaviour as he had confronted him.
“Sometime in May 2024, our client went to Amb. Ibrahim Lamuwa’s office under the Honourable Minister’s instruction at about 3:20 pm informed the Permanent Secretary to contact his counterpart in the Ministry of Defence for the reports needed for the upcoming US trip.
“Upon arriving at the Permanent Secretary’s office, our client was informed that he was in his inner room. In her desperate attempt to avoid getting molested, our client returned to her office and interestingly, Amb. Ibrahim Lamuwa demanded that she return to his office at about 3:41 pm on the same day.
“As instructed, our client immediately returned to see the Permanent Secretary. On arriving at the Permanent Secretary’s office, he commented that our client had not been to his office since February because she had grudges against him. He then offered our client to drink tea from his cup whilst forcefully putting his arms around our client’s and referring to her as a “stubborn woman”.
