News
Group petitions President Buhari, fingers Nigerian Ambassador in Berlin over sex for passport saga
. Alleges Ambassador Tuggar of complicity, aiding, abetting touts
All have not being heard over the sex for passport saga in the Nigerian Embassy in Berlin as a group of Nigerians domiciled in Germany under the aegis of “For the Sake of Nigeria’s image “, ( FSNI) has written and dispatched a petition to President Muhammadu Buhari alleging the Nigerian Ambassador in Berlin, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar of gross complicity, aiding and abetting touts and deliberately frustrating diligence at the Embassy.
This is coming from the background of massive corruption allegations levied against the same embassy some years ago.
In the petition, which was signed by Victor Christian Chukuwuma, Segun Adebisi Arijaje and Mohammed Sani Bagudu, the group alleged that Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar of not able to put a stop to the activities of known visa and passport touts, which is denting the image of Nigeria in Germany.
“We as citizens of Nigeria domiciled in Germany wish to intimate the President and good people of Nigeria of the can of worms at the Embassy of Nigeria under H.E. Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, which led to the sex for passport saga which has cast a blur in the image of Nigeria in the comity of nation.
“From our findings, the passport syndicate at the embassy was organized by the Station Head of Immigration, Mr. Imoh Ebong Asuquo upon arriving in Berlin in 2017. Some members of his syndicate include Chuks Biaduo (aka Don), Okechukwu Nwukeforo (aka Bob Okey), Obiwanne, Chidinmma Ohakwe Nwandikom (ex-staff, whose contract was not renewed due to various corruption charges), Obinna Simeon Nzodinma (identified as the commentator in the video), Lucky (aka Blessed Passport). These people seize on the scarcity of appointments for applicants caused by the Covid 19 shutdown, to charge desperate Nigerians exorbitantly to fast-track the applications.
”We understood that Mr. Martins is a locally recruited staff, heading the security section. These were charged with ensuring that a new appointment system introduced in March 2020 would give no preferences to influences. A lady applicant, whom Mr. Martins met on her visit to the Embassy for passport renewal and a change to her data, Ms. Faith Uche, had a valid appointment and this qualified her access to the Embassy. We understood from sources close to the Embassy that both agreed to meet after she finished her business, which they did.
”The said Ms. Uche came to Berlin, signed for and collected her passport and waited several hours to meet with Mr. Martins inside the hotel that the video was made. We spoke with Ms. Uche on phone, but she refused to comment on the critical but necessary questions that could cement the claim of “sex for passport” by Mr. Martins. Moreover, we learned from the same sources that both accusers, Mr. Obinna Simeon Uzodinma and Ms. Uche did not honor the invitation by the panel setup by the Ambassador to investigate the accusations levied against Mr. Martins in the video.
“Your Excellency, while we applaud Ambassador Tuggar’s setting up of a panel to investigate the serious allegation of “sex for passport” by the accusers in the video, we call on the panel to find answers to the following questions:
”1. Did the security officer offer “passport for sex” or not?
2. If not, did the affair between both parties have anything to do with Mr. Martins work at the Embassy in anyway?
3. Did Mr. Martins rape Ms. Uche?
4. Was the Ambassador aware of several previous complaints against the syndicate led by Mr. Imoh Ebong Asuquo, the Diplomat heading the Immigration Department?
5. Was it a coincidence that the video was made by exactly the same syndicate members working for Mr. Imoh?
6. Why was Mr. Imoh’s name mentioned on many occasions in the video by Mr. Obinna Simeon Uzodinma?
7. Is it true that the said Mr. Martins sent away his later accuser, Mr. Obinna Simeon Uzodinma away from the Embassy earlier on the same day that the video was made?
“Furthermore, Ambassador Tuggar’s efforts to clarify the following questions, relevant to our national security and collective reputation as a nation, may help to determine the chances of his campaign to becoming the next Governor of Bauchi State in 2023:
“1. Did he know that Mr. Obinna Simeon Uzodinma (Agbaego Nkiti Nke Iziz) and Mr. Okechukwu Nwokeforo (aka Bob Okey) are both IPOB activists, who claim Biafra?
2. Did he know that Mr. Obinna Simeon Uzodinma was quizzed for money laundering and fraud by the German Police in 2016 and that he is being tolerated in Germany because of missing identity documents?
3. On credibility as a leader, is the Ambassador preempting the report of the panel that he setup himself by publicly promising Mr. Obinna Simeon Uzodinma that he would sack Mr. Martins? (Mr. Obinna Simeon Uzodinma made this claim on a popular social media that the Ambassador had assured him to sack Mr. Martins).
4. Why Is the Ambassador deliberately protecting corrupt diplomats and practices under his watch?
5. Could the Ambassador have overseen the fact that the accusers were the same members of the passport syndicate operating at his Embassy in the last 3 years?”, the group questioned.
The petition read further, “Dear President, we need to take steps to redeem the negative trend this video has brought to our dear country abroad. Only through transparency could we correct this image”.
The group, therefore called on President Buhari, through the Agencies at his Executive disposal, to set up a powerful investigation panel to look into the organized corruption by diplomats at Nigerian Embassy in Berlin and take necessary steps to ease the process of passport issuance to the millions of Nigerians living in diaspora.
The lawmaker representing Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Engr. Aderemi Oseni, has mourned the death of a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State and former member of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon. Akeem Abimbola Oladipupo, popularly known as Able, describing his demise as a painful loss to the progressive family.
Oladipupo, who represented Ibadan North-West Constituency in the Oyo State House of Assembly, was widely regarded as a grassroots politician and committed party loyalist until his passing.
Oseni, who is also the Chairman, House Committee on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency and the APC candidate for Oyo South Senatorial District, said the late politician’s death had created a vacuum within the party and among those who benefitted from his unwavering commitment to public service.
In a condolence statement issued on Monday by his Media Aide, Idowu Ayodele, and made available to journalists in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, the federal lawmaker described the late Oladipupo as a dependable progressive, humble political actor and loyal party stalwart whose impact would remain indelible.
He said the deceased dedicated his life to serving humanity, strengthening the progressive movement and supporting the aspirations of many at the grassroots.
Oseni said, “The death of Hon. Akeem Abimbola Oladipupo (Able) came to me as a rude shock. Oyo State and the progressive family have indeed lost a committed, loyal and selfless leader whose passion for service, humility and dedication to the people stood him out.
“He was not just a politician but a bridge-builder, a dependable ally and a grassroots mobiliser who believed strongly in the ideals of our great party. His contributions to the growth of the APC in Oyo State and his service to humanity will remain unforgettable.”
The APC senatorial candidate noted that the late former lawmaker remained steadfast in promoting peace, unity and political development, adding that his simplicity and accessibility endeared him to many across political divides.
According to Oseni, the late politician’s legacy of service and sacrifice would continue to inspire younger politicians and party faithful.
He, however, urged members of the APC, associates and family members of the deceased to take solace in the remarkable life he lived and the positive impact he made during his lifetime.
Oseni also prayed for the repose of the deceased’s soul and for God to grant his family the fortitude to bear the painful loss.
State governors have proposed a new national minimum wage of N100,000 for Nigerian workers as part of efforts to cushion them from the biting effects of inflation and the rising cost of living.
Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State, who is also the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), disclosed the proposal on Saturday in a post by the state government’s official Facebook page. He said the move aims to improve workers’ welfare while ensuring that government finances remain sustainable.
“State governments recognise the urgent need to improve workers’ welfare in response to the current economic realities facing Nigerians,” AbdulRazaq said.
“We are actively engaging with the Federal Government and organised labour to arrive at a wage structure that is fair to workers and sustainable for government finances.”
The NGF chairman explained that ongoing discussions are focused on balancing the need to boost workers’ purchasing power with the capacity of governments to deliver essential public services and development projects.
“The goal is to improve the living conditions of workers while ensuring that states can continue to meet their obligations and sustain projects that directly impact citizens,” he added.
The proposed N100,000 minimum wage is expected to intensify national debates on salaries, inflation, and broader economic reforms as Nigerians continue to contend with rising food prices, transportation costs, and other living expenses.
Currently, Nigeria’s statutory minimum wage stands at N70,000 per month. Some states, including Lagos, Rivers, and Imo, are already paying above the national benchmark to support workers amid the country’s economic challenges.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has continued to call for a comprehensive review of salaries, insisting that workers deserve a living wage that reflects present-day economic realities rather than merely guaranteeing survival.
The average retail price paid by consumers for Premium Motor Spirit, popularly known as petrol, rose to N1,532.93 per litre in April 2026, representing a 23.69 per cent increase compared to the N1,239.33 recorded in the corresponding period of 2025, findings by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) have shown.
The sharp rise in petrol prices came amid mounting inflationary pressure and worsening living costs, with Nigerians grappling with soaring transportation and food expenses that have continued to shrink household purchasing power.
The NBS disclosed this in its Premium Motor Spirit (Petrol) Price Watch for April 2026, released on Friday.
The report further showed that on a month-on-month basis, petrol prices rose by 18.97 per cent from N1,288.54 recorded in March 2026, underscoring persistent volatility in the downstream petroleum market.
A breakdown of prices across states revealed that Yobe recorded the highest average retail price for petrol at N1,599.05 per litre during the review period.
Edo and Bauchi followed closely with average prices of N1,595.74 and N1,589.07, respectively.
However, Niger residents paid the least for petrol at an average of N1,403.89 per litre, while Sokoto and Katsina recorded N1,404.16 and N1,406.28 respectively.
At the zonal level, the South-South recorded the highest average retail price at N1,566.76 per litre, while the North-West posted the lowest at N1,508.81.
The latest petrol price increase comes as millions of Nigerians continue to battle the ripple effects of rising inflation, with higher energy costs worsening transportation fares and the prices of essential commodities.
Similarly, the NBS said the average retail price for refilling a 5kg cylinder of Liquefied Petroleum Gas, also known as cooking gas, rose by 13.73 per cent month-on-month to N8,706.93 in April 2026 from N7,655.73 recorded in March.
On a year-on-year basis, the price increased by 10.42 per cent from N7,885.60 recorded in April 2025.
Lagos recorded the highest average price for refilling a 5kg cylinder at N9,745.10, followed by Nasarawa at N9,451.70 and Bayelsa at N9,422.74.
In contrast, Anambra recorded the lowest average price at N7,204.76, while Ondo and Ogun followed with N7,239.49 and N7,825.75, respectively.
At the regional level, the North-West recorded the highest average retail price for refilling a 5kg cylinder at N9,025.07, followed by the North-East at N8,847.16, while the South-East posted the lowest average price at N8,224.37.
Also, the average retail price for refilling a 12.5kg cylinder of cooking gas increased by 13.89 per cent month-on-month to N22,382.20 in April 2026 from N19,652.83 in March.
Compared to April 2025, the price rose by 10.43 per cent from N20,268.06.
According to the NBS LPG Price Watch for April, Katsina recorded the highest average retail price for refilling a 12.5kg cylinder at N25,596.71, followed by Kogi at N24,558.25 and Gombe at N24,438.97.
Ogun recorded the lowest average price at N19,564.36, while Bauchi and Anambra followed at N20,178.87 and N20,511.90 respectively.
The North-West recorded the highest zonal average retail price for refilling a 12.5kg cylinder at N23,276.95, followed by the North-Central at N22,865.29, while the South-East posted the lowest average at N21,060.92.
The latest figures signal growing pressure on household energy costs, raising concerns over the implications for inflation and the cost of living in the coming months.
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