By FORTUNE ABANG

The Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF), has queried Mr Ibrahim Lamuwa, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, over alleged s*xual harassment.

Lamuwa, who served as Nigeria’s Ambassador to Senegal with concurrent accreditation to Mauritania before his appointment as Permanent Secretary, is accused of s*xually harassing Mrs Simisola Ajayi, who works in the ministry.

Mr Muhammed Ahmed, Deputy-Director of Communication in the OHCSF, confirmed Lamuwa’s query on Wednesday in Abuja.

“Lamuwa was queried in accordance with the Civil Service rules and regulations,” he told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

According to him, the query is to give the accused a fair hearing.

“His response will set the path for further necessary action.”

He also hinted that there would be “unhindered investigation into the alleged case of s*xual harassment”.

“We are following the procedure in the Civil Service. The case shall be fully investigated,” he said.

NAN reports that the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Yusuf Tuggar had, based on a petition by Ajayi, through her Legal Counsel, Femi Falana, officially asked Mrs Folasade Yemi-Esan, Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, to wade-in on the matter.

His letter asking her to step in on the matter went viral on Tuesday.

Tuggar stated in the letter: “Bearing in mind the gravity of the matter, it has become necessary to draw your attention to it, while requesting the OHCSF to handle the matter”.

The deadline for Lamuwa’s response could not be confirmed, but an unconfirmed source said that he had been asked to step aside to avoid interference that could taint investigation into the matter. (Adapted from a NAN report)