Reps panel invites perm sec accused of sexual harassment by minister’s aide

The house of representatives committee on foreign affairs has invited Ibrahim Lamuwa, permanent secretary in the ministry of foreign affairs.

Lamuwa has been accused of sexual harassment.

The committee is chaired by Oluwole Oke, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmaker representing Obokun/Oriade federal constituency of Osun state.

Oke told TheCable that Lamuwa will appear before the committee on Thursday.

The permanent secretary has been accused of “persistent sexual harassment” by Simisola Ajayi, a married female aide of Yusuf Tuggar, minister of foreign affairs.

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.

On May 27, Tuggar informed Folasade Yemi-Esan, head of service of the federation, of the allegations against Lamuwa.

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.