Reps Investigate Claims of Sexual Misconduct against 3 Members by US Embassy

• One threatens legal action

Damilola Oyedele in Abuja

The House of Representatives said on Thursday that it has commenced investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct against three of its members by the United States Embassy.

The US Ambassador to Nigeria, James Entwistle, in a June 9, 2016, letter to Speaker Yakubu Dogara, accused three lawmakers of attempted rape and solicitation for sex while on a recent trip to Cleveland, Ohio, for the International Visitors Leadership Program.

The accused lawmakers are Hon. Mohammed Garba Gololo (Bauchi APC), Hon. Samuel Ikon (Akwa Ibom PDP) and Hon. Mark Gbillah (Benue APC) who were on the trip with seven other house members.

Gololo allegedly grabbed a housekeeper cleaning his hotel room and solicited for sex from her, while Gbillah and Ikon allegedly asked hotel parking attendants to help them find prostitutes.

Spokesperson of the House, Hon. Abdulrazak Namdas, acknowledged the receipt of the letter from the Ambassador to the Speaker.

He told THISDAY that “as a responsible parliament” the House has commenced investigations into the allegations.

“ We are doing our investigations…it remains allegations until proven otherwise. We have our laws and when investigations are conducted, we will brief further,” he said.

Namdas however declined to explain what form the investigation would take and if it is being carried out with the US Embassy.

“None of them is before any court of law. It is a letter that alleged the development,” he said.

Further details later

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