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M. D. Abubakar, Nigeria’s Inspector-General of
Police
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Below are
petitions to the Attorney General of the Federation and the Inspector General
of Police by the Public Interest Lawyers League (PILL) against the Executive
Secretary, Financial Reporting Council, Mr. Jim Osayande Obazee, for alleged
sexual harassment and dismissal of former PA, Mrs. Abimbola Patricia Yakubu
from service.
1st October, 2013
The Inspector-General of Police
Force Headquarters
Louis Edet House,
Abuja
Dear
Sir,
THE SEXUAL HARASSMENT OF MRS ABIMBOLA
PATRICIA YAKUBU: REQUEST FOR INVESTIGATION AND PROSECUTION OF MR JIM OSAYANDE
OBAZEE
The
above subject refers.
We
act as Attorneys to the above-named Mrs Abimbola Patricia Yakubu, a senior
staff of the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria whose office is at the
Elephant House, Assbifi Road, Ikeja, Lagos, who we shall hereinafter refer to
as ‘’Our Client’’.
On
the 17th day of July, 2013, our client lodged a complaint of sexual
harassment by Mr Jim Osayande Obazee, Executive Secretary of the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria with our Attorneys; and we wrote a letter
dated 29th July, 2013 (the letter is hereby attached) to the
Honourable Minister of Trade and Investment requesting a formal investigation
of the complaint and discipline of the said Mr Jim Osayande Obazee where
appropriate.
Sadly, no ‘’formal
ministerial investigation’’ was instituted, neither was an inquiry made by the Governing
Council of the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria. This was inspite of the
letters dated 22nd July and 19th August 2013 we addressed
to it.
The
complaint of our client is that Mr. Jim Osayande Obazee sexually harassed her during
the three years (2010-2013) she served him as Personal Assistant and ensured she
was transferred to the branch financial desk in Kaduna, where she is presently reporting
to a junior colleague, because she refused his sexual advances.
More
importantly, the said Mr. Jim Osayande Obazee used his executive powers to compel
our client to appear before an administrative panel to clarify how her
complaint became the subject of media scrutiny; and to the meeting of the
Governing Council of 28th of August, 2013. The Council’s letter of
invitation stated, ‘’you are hereby
invited/directed to attend an official meeting’’. We are aware the Council
has concluded plans to dismiss our client from service, without investigating
her complaint and without recourse to the law.
Sir,
sexual harassment is a criminal offence under Sections 97 and 348 of the
Criminal Code, Laws of Lagos State, 2013; and for our client to have made a complaint,
without statutory bodies investigating her complaint is legally and morally
offensive.
And
it is in light of the foregoing, we humbly plead you use your good offices to
investigate the alleged offence and to commence prosecution of the said Mr Jim
Osayande Obazee where grounds are established. We further plead that MTN be
ordered to produce the data logs of Mr Jim Osayande Obazee’s telephone number (08033454712) and of our client (08033059260) respectively in order to
establish the truth while we take steps to provide other SMS in our possession.
Whilst
we trust you will treat our letter with the urgent attention it deserves,
please, accept the assurances of our warmest and highest regards and those of
our client, Sir.
Yours
sincerely,
Abdul Mahmud, ESQ.
President
Cc:
Attorney-General of the Federation,
Ministry of Justice,
Abuja
21st October, 2013
The Attorney-General of the Federation
Federal Ministry of Justice,
Shehu Shagari Way,
Abuja
Dear
Sir,
THE SEXUAL HARASSMENT OF MRS ABIMBOLA
PATRICIA YAKUBU: REQUEST FOR INVESTIGATION AND PROSECUTION OF MR JIM OSAYANDE
OBAZEE
The
above subject refers.
We
act as Attorneys to the above-named Mrs Abimbola Patricia Yakubu, a senior
staff of the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria whose office is at the
Elephant House, Assbifi Road, Ikeja, Lagos, who we shall hereinafter refer to
as ‘’Our Client’’.
On
the 17th day of July, 2013, our client lodged a complaint of sexual
harassment by Mr. Jim Osayande Obazee, Executive Secretary of the Financial
Reporting Council of Nigeria with our Attorneys; and we wrote a letter dated 29th
July, 2013 (the letter is hereby attached) to the Honourable Minister of Trade
and Investment requesting a formal investigation of the complaint and
discipline of the said Mr. Jim Osayande Obazee where appropriate.
Sadly,
no ‘’formal ministerial investigation’’ was instituted, neither was an inquiry
made by the Governing Council of the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria.
This was in spite of the letters dated 22nd July and 19th
August 2013 we addressed to it.
The
complaint of our client is that Mr. Jim Osayande Obazee sexually harassed her
during the three years (2010-2013) she served him as Personal Assistant and
ensured she was transferred to the branch financial desk in Kaduna, where she
is presently reporting to a junior colleague, because she refused his sexual
advances.
More
importantly, the said Mr. Jim Osayande Obazee used his executive powers to
compel our client to appear before an administrative panel to clarify how her
complaint became the subject of media scrutiny; and to the meeting of the
Governing Council of 28th of August, 2013. The Council’s letter of
invitation stated, ‘’you are hereby
invited/directed to attend an official meeting’’.
And
following a meeting with our client, the Council approved her summary dismissal
from service without any recourse to the law. And this was inspite of
overwhelming solicitous text messages sent by the said Mr. Obazee presented to
it by our client as evidences of sexual harassment.
Sir,
sexual harassment is a criminal offence under Sections 97 and 348 of the
Criminal Code, Laws of Lagos State, 2013; and for our client to have made a
complaint, without the Governing Council investigating her complaint is legally
and morally offensive. And it is in light of the foregoing, we humbly plead you
use your good offices to investigate the said Mr. Jim Osayande Obazee.
We
believe that Mrs Yakubu’s travails are tips of the iceberg. Whilst we trust you
will treat our letter with the urgent attention it deserves, please, accept the
assurances of our warmest and highest regards and those of our client, Sir.
Yours
sincerely,
Abdul Mahmud, ESQ.
President
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