U.S Police Deployed to Calm Tension at Nigerian Embassy in Washington

Chaos broke out at a Department inside the Embassy of Nigeria in Washington on Monday after two officials of the embassy began fighting.

The officials are Mr Robert Mumford Ditto, a Filipino and one Saka Ologele from Southwest Nigeria. Apparently left fuming after an argument, Mr Ditto, angrily threw a chair at Mr Ologele. Some officials of the embassy tried to engage with the men but the situation then escalated into a physical fight, in the full glare of dozens of guests and visa applicants.

Mr Ditto, the Filipino, called in agents from the Washington Capitol Secret Service Police, to deal with the commotion there after several people became angry at his utterances, according to Per Second News findings.

No fewer than 5 Police Officers arrive and made their way into the embassy to restore order and calm panicky guests and visa applicants.

It took the timely intervention of acting ambassador Mr Hakeem Balogun to prevent the secret service agents from arresting the officials. The acting ambassador has suspended the duo indefinitely, Per Second News gathered Tuesday morning.

Police confirmed the altercation inside the embassy but did not report any arrest.

Speaking to Per Second News correspondent, a band of local Nigerian workers complained about the utterances of Filipino citizens working at the embassy. Workers alleged that they have been arbitrary and overboard.

Investigations by this media outfit revealed that in the Defence Attache section of the embassy, Nigerian diplomats have in most times preferred Filipino’s to assist in the work there. From local office assistants to drivers, the department in charge of intelligence use foreigners, especially the Filipinos, workers alleged.

Per Second News also gathered that the Deputy Defence Attache, has a Filipino Secretary in this days where the line between diplomat, embassy workers and spy is sometimes blurred.

“ You will never see a foreigner at Chinese, Indian, Russian, even at the Ghana embassy at strategic positions, said a visa applicant.

Approaching foreign nationals and asking them to work for your government is generally agreed to lie in the realm of espionage. Some in Washington have questioned the employment of Filipino’s working at sensitive positions inside the embassy. Reports in the past revealed that some foreign workers in some embassies have been caught surreptitiously seeking to discover passwords, details of private and official email, tracking movements and mobile phone accounts of foreign officials. This is an everyday activity that lies deep within the field of espionage, said a diplomat.

“Drivers deployed to diplomats drive with their ears cocked for interesting intelligence, he said.

“There is a degree of overlap. Diplomats, spies and journalists are all basically nosy people. They all want to find out things that are not generally known,” said a Nigerian diplomat asked about the Filipinos at the embassy of Nigeria.

Stella Igwe-Adesoga/Per Second News

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