The Nation Newspaper

Tag: embassy

Nigeria protests to U.S. over Embassy’s violation

The Nigerian Embassy in Washington has protested to the U.S. Government over the violation of its premises by the Secret Service agents following fracas between two local workers.

The Acting Ambassador/Charge d’Affaires, Hakeem Balogun, told the Correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that a “protest note” had been transmitted to the U.S. Department of State.

Balogun condemned the violation of the diplomatic protocol over altercation by two Embassy drivers adding: “The embassy has as well transmitted a protest note to the U.S. Department of State.

“We have sent a protest note in respect of the entrance by the police into the embassy. It is against diplomatic protocols.

“They are not supposed to enter the embassy. The protest letter is in respect of the entrance of the police into the embassy,” Balogun said.

The Nigerian envoy also said that he “has since taken appropriate and timely, administrative and diplomatic steps to address the incident.

“These measures include the immediate and indefinite suspension of the two local staff members involved in the fracas.

“There is the establishment of a Committee to investigate and recommend appropriate disciplinary actions against the two locally-recruited staff members involved in the fracas.”

Balogun dismissed the publication by a Nigerian newspaper alleging that “the United States Police was called in to restore order in the Embassy as a result of ‘a physical fight’.

The ambassador also described as baseless, claims that the fracas took place “in the full glare of dozens of guests and visa applicants”.

“To buttress its report, the Newspaper attached a photograph claiming to be the ‘chaotic situation’ that erupted as a result of the fight,” he said.

According to him, however, the dispute between two of its drivers took place in the basement area of the Chancery where Embassy drivers are stationed.

“The physical encounter was, therefore, not in the full glare of the public as to have caused a chaotic situation.

“A cursory look and careful analysis of the picture attached by the Newspaper will reveal to anyone conversant with the Embassy’s premises that the picture used has no physical connection to the Embassy.

“This was clearly an effort at deception,” the ambassador said.

On the issue of the nationalities of the Embassy’s local staff members, he said the primary qualification for employment into the non-diplomatic workforce is knowledge of the job, not the nationality of the applicant.

“The Newspaper went further to question the composition of the nationalities of the Embassy’s locally recruited staff”.

“This is an international best practice. Be that as it may, it is important to inform that out of the Mission’s current local staff strength of 44, there are 37 Nigerians.

“Seven are non-Nigerians from India, The Philippines, Singapore and Sri Lanka,” he said.

Balogun assured that the Mission would continue to do everything within its mandate to protect and defend the interests of Nigeria and Nigerians in the U.S. (NAN)

May 26, 2017
Beware of fake Canadian Visa Lottery- embassy

The Canadian Deputy High Commissioner in
Lagos, Mr Lajos Arendas, on Wednesday said that it was imperative for
Nigerians to know of the non-existence of any Canadian Visa Lottery.

Arendas told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that his
government had never been involved in any form of Visa Lottery
programme, and that it was currently non-existent.

NAN reports that there had been rumours and speculations among
Nigerians, that the Canadian Government had opened up its Visa Lottery
programme for Nigerians and other countries.

“This is false information. In fact, the U.S. used to have, and
perhaps still do, but Canada does not have a visa lottery programme.

“As far as I know, it has never existed in Canada. At least,
certainly not in my 24-year career.

“It looks like some people are spreading rumours, and these could be
linked to a possible scam.

“The one thing you could tell the public is that you contacted me
and I firmly stated that there is no such thing as a Canadian Visa
Lottery,’’ he said.

Arendas, who referred NAN’s Correspondent to the High Commission’s
Immigration Department website, said that it was important for
Nigerians to know that what does not exist in the site does not
exist. (NAN)

February 22, 2017
Four arrested in RRS’ raid of fake embassy

Rapid Response Squad (RRS) operatives has uncovered a fake embassy and arrested four persons including two Chinese nationals.

The operatives, led by RRS Commander, Olatunji Disu, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) stormed the fake embassy located at Golden Point and Suite Hotel, Duduyemi Street in Ejigbo, after receiving complaints of fraud from victims.

Items recovered during the raid were 25 international passports, 10 laptops, screw driver, five phones and paper documents.

The suspects – Liu Honyang, 47, Sun Xinai, 49, Oriyomi Olawale, 47 and Desmond Chinedu, 25 – were said to have conspired and swindled Nigerians who had planned to travel out of the country to seek greener pastures.

The police were said to have lodged in the hotel for two days monitoring their activities before apprehending them.

A victim, Adekunle Adefuye, told RRS operatives narrated how he was lured to go to Trinidad and Tobago by the suspects and was later deported.

He said: “I met these people through one of their agents, Dorcas Slyver. She is a daughter to my brother’s pastor in Abeokuta. I told her my intentions to travel to United States. Then she told me to come to Lagos that she can procure the American visa for me.

“On getting to Lagos, she took me to these Chinese where I was told that I should go to Trinidad and Tobago. They persuaded me to go to Trinidad and Tobago that it was easier to secure employment with at least 3,000 dollars as salary.

“Initially, I declined to take their bait, insisting that I preferred America. But in the long run, they brainwashed me into agreeing to go to Trinidad and Tobago. It was at this point, I was told that I would pay N1.3 million for the whole process including visa processing and flight fare.

“The payment was made in instalment. N376,000 for Visa, ticket, N850,000, accommodation, N39,000 and visa Fee N33,000, which I obliged and paid all the monies into Dorcas’ GTB Accounts: 0130671906.”

Continuing, the victim said he and another person were rounded up immediately they got to Trinidad and Tobago by the country’s immigration officers for coming into the country with fake visas.

“We left Lagos en route Lome on October 19. From Lome to Sao Paulo in Brazil. From there, we moved to Panama where we boarded another plane to Trinidad and Tobago. On getting to the country, we were arrested by their security operatives, accusing us of entering their country with fake visa and documents.

“We spent two days underground inside police custody. They treated us like criminals, trying to enter the country illegally. We were locked up for 48 hours before we were deported on October 22, and arrived Nigeria the following day.”

Another victim, Rasheed Ololade, said he also paid N1.3m into Dorcas Sylver’s account, after persuaded him to go to Trinidad.

One Lukmon Odeyemi, a footballer said he parted with N125,000 for Trinidad and Tobago visa.

Meanwhile, one Friday Owah, who was at their office when they were apprehended, disclosed that he paid N600,000 to go to Trinidad and Tobago.

In the course of investigation, the police were said to have contacted the High Commission of Trinidad and Tobago in Abuja, which replied by denouncing the so – called agents.

A letter dated December 7, referenced ABJ: 6/2/3/14 and signed by Garth Lamsee, Acting High Commissioner for that country said: “…the Mission can categorically confirm that the individual SUN XINAI who is claiming to be an agent of this mission is unknown to us. Furthermore, this mission does not use the services of an ‘agent’ in any capacity whatsoever and has never done so in the past either.

“With regard to the authenticity of the attached visas, the mission can also categorically confirm that those visas were not issued at this High Commission and are clearly fraudulent…Noteworthy too is the fact that since June 2015, this mission had stopped issuing stamped visas in passports for individual electronic visas from our country’s capital Port of Spain.”

Confessing to the crime, Honyang said: “We operate as separate travel agencies under the company’s name, Golden Point Hotel and Tour but our office is located inside the hotel.

“Sun Xinai is my sister and she is the director of the travel agency. I only do paper works and documents for visa procurement. I don’t know how she secures visa for people. What I know is that she travels to Abuja and comes back with that stamped visa.”

But Sun Xinai, the major suspect, noted that she was unaware that stamped visa for Trindad and Tobago was no longer tenable in that country anymore.

Police spokesperson Dolapo Badmos, a Superintendent (SP) said command was on the trail of all their agents and canvassers, adding that the public should be wary of fake visa agents.

All the suspects have been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti, Yaba, for further investigation.

December 12, 2016
Kano, French Embassy float PG scholarship scheme

Kano State government and the Embassy of France in Nigeria, have initiated a joint scholarship scheme to sponsor postgraduate training of 12 indigenes of the state in reputable French universities in the next three years.

Under the arrangement, Kano government would provide accommodation, upkeep and travel expenses, while the French Embassy would take care of beneficiaries’ registration, tuition and health insurance, according to Deputy Governor Prof Hafiz Abubakar.

The government, which disclosed this at a ceremony at the Kano Government House, said the government had settled its part of the deal for one year.

Giving highlights of the programme, Abubakar explained that Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje ‘’decided that the offer should be dedicated to lecturers of the state tertiary institutions’’, adding that beneficiaries were drawn from Kano University of Technology, Northwest University and the state polytechnic.

“The aim is to build the capacity of lecturers, and the initiative clearly demonstrates the Ganduje administration’s commitment towards promoting learning and attaining higher education levels for citizens of the state,” Abubakar said.

Abubakar who is the state Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, said candidates were meticulously selected and interviewed by a committee of the French Embassy, which sourced the universities that offered the admissions.

Abubakar, described the scholarship as first of its kind in Kano and a demonstration of the cordiality between the government and French Embassy, charged beneficiaries to be good ambassadors by exhibiting excellence in character and learning.

At the event, Abubakar presented 15 partial scholarships offered to indigenes of the state by Near East University, Cyprus, to study Engineering and Nursing at undergraduate, masters and doctorate levels.

Under the deal, the university would provide tuition and Value Added Tax for each student, while the government would provide living and travelling expenses.

Mr. Denys Gauer said: “Nigeria and France have in recent times increased their level of political cooperation, with exchange visits by our presidents.”

Gauer said while both countries were working to address the security challenges facing Nigeria, his country, through the French Development Agency, was determined to execute more projects for Nigerians.

October 6, 2016
Embassy in New York broke

The Nigerian Embassy in New York has fallen on bad times. For months, workers have not been paid. Neither is the embassy able to repair its air conditioners, the only source of air since the windows of the imposing glass house cannot be opened. Visitors now wait outside the building while their passports are being processed, writes Adeola Fayehun, who visited the embassy in New York.

I needed to see for myself. I’ve heard that it’s been more than a month since the air conditioner broke down at the Nigerian High Commission in New York. It was 32°C, and there are no windows or cross ventilation in the 21-storey all-glass building located on 44th Street and Second Avenue. The only source of air in the edifice are the air conditioning units.

Outside the embassy, visitors were sitting, waiting for their, passports. I approached a woman with two kids, a boy and a girl. Idera had been sitting outside for hours, while her husband breezed in and out of the embassy. The heat inside was unbearable for her and her children. She showed me the boy; his face was covered with sweat. She lifted his arms; “My baby had no rashes before we came here today, now his two arms are covered with rashes from the heat. It’s like an oven in there,” she said.

When her husband came out, he hesitated to tell her, but despite waiting for six hours, the embassy said he had to come back in two days because they were out of ink.

“You won’t believe how rude they were; they talk to you anyhow,” he said. I begged them that my children cannot come back to this heat, but they didn’t care.”

Another family sat near the pillar painted in grey outside the building. The three teenagers waited patiently outside for their mother who kept going in and out. “We’ve been here for six hours,” one of them said.

As soon as I got in the elevator, I thought of running back outside. On the eighth floor, the chairs were empty. The old standing fan made no difference. It was blowing heat. No wonder people sat outside. I went to the sixth floor, no air. I went to the fourth floor, no air. I went to the second floor, no air. I had to see for myself.

Getting back to the first floor, I went to the waiting room, where about three families were waiting. Two families gathered around a portable air conditioner, the only air conditioning unit I saw working in the building. I was so happy to see at least one source of fresh air, and I mentioned it to the two families. I was surprised by their response.

“The air conditioner didn’t work all day; we were all sweating, so most people went outside. It was later in the afternoon that it started working,” they said.

I was short of words. I looked around the waiting room, and I was ashamed. How can this be my embassy? I saw loose wires hanging on the walls near the surveillance camera, and an old box television with nothing playing. Though beautiful outside the huge building made me feel like I was in Nigeria, at one of the ministries’ run down offices.

A man held his newly born baby to his chest at the waiting room,

“My baby’s food is finished,” he said. I begged the staff all day to please help us do the passport today. We came very early, all the way from Pennsylvania; we drove for five hours, they just dismissed me and told my wife and I to come back on Wednesday.” They told him to come back in two days because they’re out of laminating supplies. I was confused, I thought they were out of ink, now it’s laminating supplies.

From what I gathered, some diplomats have not been paid for four months. Some local staff also have not been paid for two months. The mission is unable to pay for medical insurance of staff and diplomats. So, I was not surprised to hear customers say one man was willing to produce passports if money exchanged hands. However, I have no means of verifying this information, because while I was in the room, the man did not take money from visitors. They offered him cash, but he rejected it.

An embassy employee noticed me and wanted to query me. So I asked, “Are you happy working under this condition?” He looked at me and said “no!” I told him my hope in reporting this, is that the Federal Government will release funds to pay salaries and fix the air conditioning. I found out even if they get money today, it could take two months for the units to work.

Back outside, I met a man that flew in from Minnesota. “They just told me to come back on Wednesday, how am I supposed to do it?” He works in Minnesota; now he has to change all his plans and his return flight if he wants a new passport.

Several families have to come back to this heat. I only spent about 40 minutes in there, and I couldn’t wait to buy a bottle of water, which I drank in a gulp. I was drained!

For two days, I tried to get a top official of the embassy to comment on these issues. Finally, after telling me to call back again and again, the official said he needed to get approval from Abuja before he could talk to the media.

July 22, 2016
Nigerian Embassy in New York broke

The Nigerian Embassy in New York has fallen on bad times. For months, workers have not been paid. Neither is the embassy able to repair its air conditioners, the only source of air since the windows of the imposing glass house cannot be opened. Visitors now wait outside the building while their passports are being processed, writes Adeola Fayehun, who visited the embassy in New York.

I needed to see for myself. I’ve heard that it’s been more than a month since the air conditioner broke down at the Nigerian High Commission in New York. It was 32°C, and there are no windows or cross ventilation in the 21-storey all-glass building located on 44th Street and Second Avenue. The only source of air in the edifice are the air conditioning units.

Outside the embassy, visitors were sitting, waiting for their, passports. I approached a woman with two kids, a boy and a girl. Idera had been sitting outside for hours, while her husband breezed in and out of the embassy. The heat inside was unbearable for her and her children. She showed me the boy; his face was covered with sweat. She lifted his arms; “My baby had no rashes before we came here today, now his two arms are covered with rashes from the heat. It’s like an oven in there,” she said.

When her husband came out, he hesitated to tell her, but despite waiting for six hours, the embassy said he had to come back in two days because they were out of ink.

“You won’t believe how rude they were; they talk to you anyhow,” he said. I begged them that my children cannot come back to this heat, but they didn’t care.”

Another family sat near the pillar painted in grey outside the building. The three teenagers waited patiently outside for their mother who kept going in and out. “We’ve been here for six hours,” one of them said.

As soon as I got in the elevator, I thought of running back outside. On the eighth floor, the chairs were empty. The old standing fan made no difference. It was blowing heat. No wonder people sat outside. I went to the sixth floor, no air. I went to the fourth floor, no air. I went to the second floor, no air. I had to see for myself.

Getting back to the first floor, I went to the waiting room, where about three families were waiting. Two families gathered around a portable air conditioner, the only air conditioning unit I saw working in the building. I was so happy to see at least one source of fresh air, and I mentioned it to the two families. I was surprised by their response.

“The air conditioner didn’t work all day; we were all sweating, so most people went outside. It was later in the afternoon that it started working,” they said.

I was short of words. I looked around the waiting room, and I was ashamed. How can this be my embassy? I saw loose wires hanging on the walls near the surveillance camera, and an old box television with nothing playing. Though beautiful outside the huge building made me feel like I was in Nigeria, at one of the ministries’ run down offices.

A man held his newly born baby to his chest at the waiting room,

“My baby’s food is finished,” he said. I begged the staff all day to please help us do the passport today. We came very early, all the way from Pennsylvania; we drove for five hours, they just dismissed me and told my wife and I to come back on Wednesday.” They told him to come back in two days because they’re out of laminating supplies. I was confused, I thought they were out of ink, now it’s laminating supplies.

From what I gathered, some diplomats have not been paid for four months. Some local staff also have not been paid for two months. The mission is unable to pay for medical insurance of staff and diplomats. So, I was not surprised to hear customers say one man was willing to produce passports if money exchanged hands. However, I have no means of verifying this information, because while I was in the room, the man did not take money from visitors. They offered him cash, but he rejected it.

An embassy employee noticed me and wanted to query me. So I asked, “Are you happy working under this condition?” He looked at me and said “no!” I told him my hope in reporting this, is that the Federal Government will release funds to pay salaries and fix the air conditioning. I found out even if they get money today, it could take two months for the units to work.

Back outside, I met a man that flew in from Minnesota. “They just told me to come back on Wednesday, how am I supposed to do it?” He works in Minnesota; now he has to change all his plans and his return flight if he wants a new passport.

Several families have to come back to this heat. I only spent about 40 minutes in there, and I couldn’t wait to buy a bottle of water, which I drank in a gulp. I was drained!

For two days, I tried to get a top official of the embassy to comment on these issues. Finally, after telling me to call back again and again, the official said he needed to get approval from Abuja before he could talk to the media.

July 22, 2016
2016 ITF/CAT AFRICAN JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS: South Africa embassy denies Nigerian players visas

Five out of six Team Nigeria players were on Friday denied visas by the South African embassy in Abuja.

A seven-man Team Nigeria comprising six players and a coach were seeking for visa to participate in the forthcoming ITF/CAT African Junior Championship holding from March 9-18 in Pretoria, South Africa.

But only one player, Marylove Edwards and coach Mohammed Ubale were granted visa while the other five players were rejected.

Those that were denied visas are Angel McLeod, Christopher Itodo, Christopher Bulus, Gabriel Friday and Michael Osewa.

The team is scheduled to travel today but the latest development is a huge setback for its quest to excel at the tournament.

National Junior Tennis Head coach, Mohammed Ubale expressed frustration at the development saying it’s a big blow to the country’s preparation.

“The South African Embassy took us by surprise this morning (Friday) by denying five out of the six players that are going for the AJC.

“We have submitted our passports since ten days ago and they keep requesting for one thing or the other which we presented to them before they gave us appointment to come and collect it today (Friday) which was why we fixed our departure for Saturday (today) because our plan was to travel earlier,” Ubale, who alongside Marylove Edwards were the only two of the seven-man contingent that were granted visas for the tournament billed for the ITF High Performance Centre, Pretoria, said.

He added: “What annoyed me mostly is the fact that why would you grant visas to just two of us when we are all covered by one letter which the organisers sent to them in the course of seeking clarifications.”

NTF president, Engr Sani Ndanusa as at Friday afternoon was making efforts to make sure that the whole team were eventually granted visas as he made several calls to the International Tennis Federation headquarters in London as well as the Confederation of African Tennis in Tunis for intervention.

“It’s very frustrating because virtually all the countries were scheduled to arrive the venue on Saturday but from what is on ground the earliest we can be in South Africa is Monday. The most annoying part of it is that all the players have travelled several times to various parts of the continent and even beyond for tournaments,” he said.

March 5, 2016
Kerry presides over raising of flag at U.S. embassy in Cuba

Havana – Watched over by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, U.S. Marines raised the American flag at the embassy in Cuba for the first time in 54 years yesterday , symbolically ushering in an era of renewed diplomatic relations between the two Cold War-era foes.

Three retired Marines who last lowered the flag in 1961 participated in the ceremony, handing a new flag to the Marine Colour Guard, which raised it on the grounds outside the embassy building on the Havana seafront.

Kerry, the first U.S. secretary of state to visit Cuba in 70 years, said at the event that it was obvious that “the road of mutual isolation and estrangement that the United States and Cuba have been travelling is not the right one and that the time has come for us to move in a more promising direction.”

The symbolic event took place eight months after Havana and Washington agreed to restore ties and nearly four weeks after the United States and Cuba formally renewed diplomatic relations and upgraded their diplomatic missions to embassies.

While the Cubans celebrated with a flag-raising in Washington on July 20, the Americans waited until Kerry could travel to Havana.

Kerry made declared that despite the historic opening, Washington has not set aside criticism of Communist-run Cuba’s human rights record.

“We remain convinced the people of Cuba would be best served by a genuine democracy, where people are free to choose their leaders,” he said.

Kerry was billed to meet Cuban dissidents opposed to the island’s one-party political system at the U.S. embassy residence in Havana last night.

But dissidents were not invited to the morning flag-raising in deference to the Cuban government, generating criticism from opponents of U.S. President Barack Obama’s opening to Cuba.

Critics of Obama’s move, which seeks to end decades of U.S. isolation and was announced last December in a landmark agreement with Cuban President Raul Castro, complain the Cuban government has made no concessions in exchange for diplomatic ties.

“It is shameful that on the grounds of our embassy in Havana, the Cuban regime can dictate to the United States government who may or may not attend this ceremony,” Bob Menendez, a Cuban-American senator from New Jersey, said in a statement.

Overnight, workers attached a sign reading “Embassy of the United States of America” above the entrance of the building, accompanied by a U.S. seal.

Three classic American cars like those that still ply the streets of Havana were parked on the street behind the podium where Kerry spoke: a 1955 and a 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air and a 1959 Chevrolet Impala, from the year of the revolution that brought Fidel Castro to power.

August 15, 2015
Institute to partner French Embassy

It started with a visit. Now everyone is looking forward to a collaboration and better relationship topped off with improved learning of the French language.

That is the trend at the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), Enugu, which has hosted a delegation of visitors from the French Embassy, Abuja, and Centre for French Teaching and Development (CFTD) Enugu.

The IMT authorities had been looking up to the visit, not just to foster better relationship but also to improve teaching and learning of French Language in the Mass Communication Department of the institution.

Mass Communication Department has remained one of the biggest departments in IMT, Enugu and like other departments, it has various courses; both departmental and borrowed which students of the department must undertake within the period of their academic training.

One of such courses offered in the Department of Mass Communication which has attracted the interest of the international community is French Language; a language that is indispensable in international news reportage.

Hence, the institute is to receive resource and logistics support and the co-operation of the Embassy of France, Nigeria, for the teaching of the French course in the department.

Daniel Rignault, French Government Attaché for Cooperation in Education and Deputy to Head of Service announced this during a recent visit to the institute. He said there was the need for mass communication and journalism students to learn and speak French language effectively.

Rignault, who was accompanied by other personalities from the French Embassy, Abuja and Centre for French Teaching and Development (CFTD) Enugu also inquired to know from the Head of Mass Communication Department, Mr. Chukwudi Anyianuka, other problems areas the Embassy could be of assistance in promoting and sustaining the teaching and learning of the language.

The leader of the delegation who pledged to support the department in the provision of resources and logistics also urged the Director CFTD, Enugu, Olivier Mouginot to ensure that materials; audio-visuals, books and French language journals that would promote the teaching and learning of French language were provided for the department.

Responding, Anyianuka noted that the students who were primarily concerned with just passing the French course needed their interest to be stimulated, stressing that the use of teaching aids such as the screening of French films, the reading of French books and newspapers, exchange of programmes and training of French teachers in capacity building workshops would spur teachers and students to double their efforts in learning the language.

According to the Head, Mass Communication Department, French Language is a very important international language, particularly in member nations of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), adding that: “The language is indispensable in international news reporting. The knowledge of French language would prepare graduates of mass communication for positions in international mass media organisations and help them intersect between two key international languages in the highly complex and taxing coverage of international news events”.

Thanking the delegation for the visit, Anyianuka promised to communicate to the Rector of the school, Prof. Mike Iloeje the outcome of the visit, including the areas of co-operation the school desires to enter into with the Embassy.

A lecturer in the Department of French Language, Stanley Oko, attributed the declining interest of students and their inability to adequately speak the language to the limited time allotted for the teaching and learning of the course in the institution, even as he urged management to consider revisiting the former method of teaching and learning French language in the institute.

Other members of the delegation on the visit with Rignault are Tristan Fondalosa, French Project Manager, Federal Ministry of Education, Abuja; Olivier Mouginot, Director CFTD, Enugu; Godwin Nwuche, Enugu State French Coordinator and Ngozi Nwodo, Project Supervisor, CFTD, Enugu.

April 17, 2015
Man petitions Embassy over failed business

A Lagos-based businessman, Mr Amobi Patrick Emekwuo

has petitioned the Commercial Attachee of the Turkish Embassy, Abuja, over a soured business relationship between him and his Turkish partner, which runs into thousands of dollars

In a petition through his Nnewi, Anambra State based lawyers, Okeke, Okeke &Co. Mr Emekwuo requested the Embassy to intervene in the failed contract for supply of Bubble Baby Diaper or complete refund of $38, 870.00 allegedly paid to the partner, Mr Taylan Alaca for the supply of the goods since May 2013, as the goods are no where to be found after several failed promises to supply the goods.

Emekwuo said the business, which showed no signs of disappointment earlier, having successfully done one or two previous businesses with Mr Alaca, turned sour when after the payment of $38, 870.00, the supplier allegedly bolted away, stopped taking calls and not replying any of his mails.

“Emekwuo informed his lawyers that Mr Taylan has, up till date, defaulted in shipping the said container of Bubble Baby Diaper purchased and has not refunded the amount paid to him. It is more worrisome that Mr Taylan Alaca has not given tangible reasons for his default and he has been evading telephone calls and e-mails meant for him,“ Emekwuo’s lawyer said.

In a separate petition to the Head of Senate Committee on Trade through Honourable Christian Azubogu, representing Nnewi North, Nnewi South and Ekwusigo Federal Constituemcy, the petitioner said it had become necessary as his banks were already on the verge of instituting actions for recovery of the said sum sent to Mr Alaca.

February 25, 2014