Nigeria: 3 legislators accused by the US of sexual misconduct cleared

Nigeria’s House of Representatives (HOR) has cleared and exonerated three legislators who were accused of sexual misconduct in the United States (US) whiles on official visit in April this year.

The second house of Nigeria’s lawmaking chamber said, it had cleared and exonerated the three ‘‘for want of evidence.’‘

The HOR’s Committee on Ethics and Privileges had met with the three legislators who flatly denied the allegations. The United States ambassador, James Entwistle, failed to appear before the committee after a series of invitations.

27. (i) That Hon. Mohammed Garba Gololo, Hon. Mark Terseer Gbillah & Hon. Samuel Ikon are cleared & exonerated from the ..#HORUpdate

— House of Reps NGR (@HouseNGR) October 11, 2016

The three, Mark Terseer Gbillah, Mohammed Garba Gololo and Samuel Ikon, were accused by the US of soliciting sex while attending an international leadership programme in Cleveland, Ohio from 7 – 13 of April, 2016.

The house also tasked the foreign minister to engage the US ambassador in the country to find ‘seamless resolution to domestic fallout of the unfortunate incident.

‘‘That the Ministry of Foreign Affairs do write to remind the United States Embassy of the need to always adopt the official channels of communications in its dealings with any organ or institution of government,’‘ a HOR statement added.