Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ibrahim Lamuwa, has said he is being accused of sexual harassment by Simisola Fajemirokun-Ajayi, an official of the ministry, because he turned down her demands.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, had on Monday alerted the Head of Service of the federation (HoS), Folasade Yemi-Esan, of the sexual harassment claims.

The minister said it was important to inform her due to the gravity of the matter after human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, wrote a petition to him.

Reacting to the allegation, Lamuwa said his failure to pay Ajayi’s bills on an official trip to Davos, Switzerland and his refusal to grant her access to policy files and financial records of the ministry were the reasons for the accusations.

He said he has maintained a professional relationship with all his subordinates.

“I have served for nine years cumulatively in the State House, in the Office of the Vice President, Chief of Staff to the President, and the exalted Office of the President at various times under Chief Mike Oghiadomhe, Mr. David Edevbie, Amb. Abdullahi Gwary, and lastly, Amb. Lawal Kazaure,” Lamuwa said.

READ ALSO: Police bust jewelry thieves in Abuja, denies theft in IGP quarters

“I received three letters of commendation at various times from the State House for meritorious service.

“On allegations of female directors being harassed, I have never had any incident with any female director in any hotel room, nor have I ever removed any female officers’ names from trips or postings because they refused to comply with any sexual demands.”

He argued that no four women or any number could have shared any alleged ordeal with him and her, as no such incidents have happened in the past, and it is untrue that any such common knowledge exists in the ministry, as there is no basis for it.

“For example, on 12th January 2023, while in Davos, on a WhatsApp chat, she tried to know what I and the DFA were doing about the payment of the outstanding Nigerian Mission’s 1st Semester Allocation of about N12,957,103,477, claiming to know the minister has spoken to the CBN Governor on the issue.

He explained that in his response, he told her that missions’ funding should not concern her, as it was being handled at the highest level, to which she replied ‘Noted Sir.’

“As directed by the Hon. Minister sir, does it concern me?’. I wrote back to say, ‘I sorted that out with the HMFA yesterday’. And she said ‘thank you’. I knew she was angry with me about that,” he said.