Nigerians In Switzerland Petition EFCC, SGF, Ministry Over Alleged Corruption In Embassy

By Matthew Ogune, Abuja
Nigerian Youth Movement of Switzerland has written a petition letter to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Secretary to the Goverment of the Federation (SGF) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to demand a probe into alleged corrupt practices by officials of the Nigerian Embassy in Bern.

The group in a petition signed by its youth leader, Irydaer Omobude, titled: ‘The Nigerian Embassy in Bern is stinking in corruption’ urged the federal government to recall the Ambassador, Baba Madugu and Mrs Kemi Amuda back to Ngeria with immediate effect.

The group noted that it had notified the Nigerian embassy in Bern of the dastardly acts in a letter dated 24 January 2020 but regretted that till date, the embassy has not replied to the letter. Instead, decided to introduce a closed-door policy against the community, calling the Swiss police at random to harass Nigerians from coming to the embassy.

It further regretted that majority of Nigerian community has lost confidence in the embassy.

Petition reads: “The embassy in Bern under Ambassador Baba Madugu uses the swiss police to intimidate, threaten, coarse, and violently remove Nigerians on appointment at the embassy whenever
they request for passport or other services which they paid for.

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“The Nigerian embassy in Bern receives monthly salary for a security officer that is never
employed who then receives this monthly salary.

“Many contracts and purchases are highly inflated with the active participation of third
parties.

“Ambassador Baba Madugu met a united Nigerian community in Switzerland. Since his arrival, he has used a crude divide and rule tactics to turn Nigerians against each other.

“Our first petition letter of 24th January 2020 sent to you His EXcellency, through the embassy in Bern has landed onto deaf ears. Till date, we are yet to receive any response to that enect.

“Apart from their remittances to the Nigerian economy that run into USD Billions yearly, many Nigerians living in Switzerland have thriving businesses in Nigeria that pay taxes to the Federal Government as at when due.

“Nigerian tax payers are investing millons of USD each year to maintain the embassy in Bern which pays rent salaries to officers that rarely perform.

“It is no longer acceptable
to us that our hard earned money will be used to maintain an embassy and officers that do not serve the interest of Nigerians.

“Based on the above facts, we the Nigerian Youth Movement of Switzerland do hereby officially demand the folowing
“The RECALL of Ambassador Baba Madugu and Mrs Kemi Amuda back to Ngeria with immediate effect.

“They do neither serve the interests of Nigeria nor that of Nigerians in Switzerland.

“We equally request the relevant and competent organs of the Federal government of Nigera, the EFCC or the lCPC and others to immediately launch proper investigation on these allegations and.

“Request the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to immediately undertake a full independent forensic audit of all the accounts of the Nigerian ermbassy in Bern.

“We are equaly demanding to know the officlal duties of every officer with diplomatic status
working and receving salaries at the Nigerian embassy in Bern.

“It is our informed opinion that these alleged corrupt practices of officers of the Nigerian embassy in Bern go contrary to the policy of the Federal Government or Nigeria in fighting corruption. This is Even worse at a period that Nigeria has oficially been declared the poverty capital of the world with major youth unemployment rate.

“We had notified the Nigerian embassy in Bern of these dastardly acts in a ietter dated 24 January 2020. Till date, the Nigerian embassy has not replied to our letter. Instead, it has decided to introduce a closed-door policy against the community, caling the Swiss police at random to harass
Nigerians from coming to the embassy. The majority of Nigerian community has lost
confidencedence in the embassy.

“At this Juncture we want to reiterate that we do not claim any status of whistle blowers and as such do not request any percentage of the monies recovered from defaulting officers. Instead, the monies
should be dedicated to creating employment to the booming Nigerian youth in Nigeria.

“There are a lot of measures available to seek justice in the current situation. We have
chosen this official civic and peaceful option in the hope that the authorities will take it serious and do the needful.”