OPL 245: Groups ask FG to protect Nigerian whistleblower sacked by Dutch embassy 

Some organisations, including the Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA), have asked the federal government to intervene in the sack of a whistleblower by the embassy of Netherlands in Nigeria. 

The Dutch ministry of foreign affairs reportedly fired the worker, a Nigerian, after she revealed relevant information expected to aid local and international investigation into the controversial acquisition of OPL 245 oil field involving Shell and Eni oil companies.

She was said to have blown the whistle on Robert Petri, the then Dutch ambassador to Nigeria, for allegedly leaking confidential information to Shell senior officials.

In a petition to Geoffrey Onyeama, minister of foreign affairs, on Thursday, Olarewaju Suraj, chairman of HEDA, asked Nigeria authorities to provide the necessary shield for the sacked worker who lost her job while defending her country’s sovereignty.

“You have the responsibility to take practical actions to protect a Nigerian citizen who was sacked for providing relevant information on corruption and the sovereign wealth of the Nigerian people,” Suraj said.

“We urge you to strongly consider suspending the Memorandum of Understanding on Bilateral Consultations between Nigeria and the Netherlands signed in 2018 and the 2019 Agreements signed during the Dutch Prime Minister’s visit to Abuja in 2019.

“This dutiful and patriotic Nigerian was sacked by the Dutch embassy for performing her civic duty. It is unfortunate that she has been left to carry her cross, all alone.

“The Dutch parliament is on record to have questioned the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the roles of Ambassador Petri on this, reflecting the concerns of MPs about the ramifications of his actions for the investigations into corruption by Shell and the potential international diplomatic repercussions of his breach of confidence.

“Indeed, her record of employment was unblemished. Her evaluations were always very good and, immediately before she was sacked, her contract had been extended for seven years.”

The groups said as a whistleblower, she should have been furnished with every protection but that instead she has been put through the mill by her former employer, the Dutch ministry of foreign affairs and “not only losing her livelihood but also undergoing the stress of court proceedings to obtain justice and redress whereas the rule of law and the fight against corruption depends critically on whistleblowers.”