DR. AJAYI STILL IN DETENTION OVER NIGERIA EMBASSY MATTERS IN VENEZUELA!

A Nigerian Senior diplomat, Dr. Olarotimi Ajayi serving in the Nigerian mission in Caracas, Venezuela has been detained by Venezuelan immigration authorities since 19th of July 2012 on his way back from United States of America where he had gone to attend a promotional examination of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

It is unheard of in diplomatic relations that a diplomat is detained for not just cause and the Embassy of that country has not made efforts to meet him or take up the matter with the host authorities except that they are involved in the detention order plot.

From our investigation, the said diplomat, Dr. Ajayi has a running battle with the current Nigeria Ambassador to Venezuela, Ambassador Felix Oboro over management of funds at the embassy.

Initially, he was alleged to be detained because his name appears on a red alert watch list of Nigerian government. Through the Venezuela authority investigation with INTERPOL, that allegation is found not to be true; in fact it is the fabrication of Ambassador Felix Oboro of Nigerian whom the diplomat had accused of misappropriating funds belonging to the mission. His report is well documented by the Foreign Affairs ministry in Abuja and copies at our disposal.

We also have a letter written by Ambassador Oboro admitting to misusing the mission's funds and promise to refund them back to the accounts of the mission which he is yet to do.

According to a family source to Dr. Ajayi, his detention is mast minded by Ambassador Oboro who insist that he should be forcefully injected from the country despite the diplomat has procure a court injunction allowing him to stay on until the determination of his case against the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Abuja.

There is a circulated attempt by Ambassador Oboro to influence the Venezuela Judicial system through his petitions that Dr. Ajayi is working against the interest of Venezuela, however the investigating officer do not find any accuracy on that allegation as he has proof on his mission to America.

Dr. Ajayi's lawyers in Caracas are right now in court fighting his case that he should be released unconditionally and allowed to stay on in Venezuela as he has legal visa permit to stay in the country.

One of the functions of any diplomatic mission is to protect its citizens so why is Ambassador Oboro not acting on behalf of Dr. Ajayi who has served under him since 2008? Why has any Consular officer at the mission been sent to visit him where he is being kept?

The question is if a senior diplomat is being treated this way, then what happens to ordinary Nigerians in Venezuela?

Nigeria mission in Caracas in my observation is writing a new Foreign Service rules and regulations which will bounce back in future. The Mission as it is now does not obey or respect the extant rules and regulations, talk less of directives from the headquarters.

Severally, articles had been written on the Nigerian mission saga in Venezuela, in a rejoinder by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the public were informed that Ambassador Oboro will not be reprimanded because the allegations are imaginations of an officer. Why has there been no official government reaction to the detention of Dr. Ajayi? He is still a Nigerian, a diplomat that should be given fair hearing until his case is proven beyond doubt that he is found liable.

Ambassador Oboro in his capacity as Nigerian Ambassador used his office to influence few officers of the immigration department to detain a fellow Nigerian diplomat over mission issues.

Is the foreign Affairs ministry not interested in resolving this matter by recalling both officers and iron out their differences instead of bringing shame on our dear country, Nigeria?

What is Ambassador Oboro hiding by making chancery matter an issue that will cause diplomatic problems between Nigeria and Venezuela? President Jonathan and members of the National Assembly should investigate this matter urgently and save Nigeria from further embarrassment.

The Nigerianvocie.com is reliably informed that the Permanent Secretary to the Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Dr. Martin Uhomoibhi is aware of the matter but he has taken side on the matter in favour of Ambassador Oboro for reasons that if Ambassador Oboro is disciplined, it would affect his job and position in the ministry of foreign affairs.

Ambassador Oboro is quoted as saying he has the support of the Permanent Secretary on the detention of Dr. Ajayi. This issue has made Nigeria a laughing stock internationally; a purely Nigeria affair is now before a Venezuelan judge in Caracas.

Another ugly allegation leveled against Ambassador Oboro is his obvious discriminating behavior that he cannot work with a Yoruba man at the mission. Since his arrival to the mission; he has been at loggerhead with Dr. Ajayi simply because he is a Yoruba man. When has Nigeria mission become a place for a particular tribe?

Dr. Ajayi continues to be detention (5 days today). This is a violation of the Geneva Convention and other international laws but it is perpetuated by Nigerian Ambassador in that country.

Dr. Ajayi's ordeal according to information at my disposal is to prevent him from leaking more damaging financial scandal involving Ambassador Oboro and one or two persons at the helm of the Foreign Affairs Ministry in Abuja.

As at press time the report reaching our newsroom is that Nigeria Foreign Affairs Minister, Ambassador Olugbega Ashiru is contacting his counterpart in Venezuela to find an amicable solution to the matter.

However in another development, I am been informed from Abuja that there is an effort through some senior Foreign Affairs ministry officials to have Venezuela authorizes withdrawn and remove Dr. Ajayi's diplomatic immunity so that he could be dealt with both in Venezuela and in Nigeria. The press would appreciate that the minister and his Permanent Secretary react to these speculations and the public await their reaction on this case as quickly as possible.