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Nigeria’s former Ambassador to Namibia, Lilian Onoh, has told the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas that she is seeking permanent residence (Green Card) in Texas, US because of a SaharaReporters’ report accusing her of corruption.
She claimed that because of the article, she is seeking an asylum in the US for diplomats in danger so as to remain in the country “permanently”.
Onoh stated this in a 102-page affidavit submitted to the court on November 1, 2024, adding that the report titled “Nigerian Civil Service Commission Sacks Former High Commissioner to Namibia, Lilian Onoh, Over N50million Misappropriation, Recommends Trial by ICPC,” has prevented her from joining her church’s choir.
The civil action with no. 3:23-cv-02838-B was filed against Sahara Reporters Media Group, Inc., Sahara Reporters, Inc., and Omoyele Sowore, who are the defendants.
The affidavit was filed as the plaintiff’s (Onoh) response to the defendants’ motion to dismiss the plaintiff’s first amended complaint and supporting brief.
In her affidavit, Onoh identified herself as a citizen of Nigeria who previously served as the Nigerian Ambassador to Namibia, as the Head of Mission in Jamaica for Nigeria, and as a diplomat at the Permanent Mission of Nigeria to the United Nations, New York.
It reads, “Onoh is currently seeking Permanent Legal Resident status in the United States. Plaintiff Lilian Onoh brought this lawsuit on December 22, 2023 seeking damages from Defendants, Sahara Reporters Media Group, Inc., Sahara Reporters, Inc., and Omoyele Sowore, for defamation and intentional infliction of emotional distress arising from the publication of an article on a news website that the Defendants own and operate.
“Defendants originally published this article on April 21, 2023. On or about April 21, 2023, Sahara Reporters published a story on its website about Onoh (“Article”). The title of the Article was “Nigerian Civil Service Commission Sacks Former High Commissioner to Namibia, Lilian Onoh, Over N50million Misappropriation, Recommends Trial by ICPC”.
“While Onoh originally intended to retire in Nigeria, she has revised her plan due to the Article and the danger that it will cause her should she return. For that reason, Onoh now intends to remain permanently in Texas.
“Since the publication of the Article, Onoh has filed the necessary paperwork with the United States government to seek asylum for diplomats in danger and remain in the United States permanently.
“Onoh’s application for adjustment of status was accepted and she was issued an Employment Authorization document which will allow her to remain in the United States until 2028.”
“Onoh has recently completed the final stage of submitting medical records to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services and is awaiting the issuance of her Green Card,” she said in the affidavit.
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But according to the document, the Defendants’ first motion contends that the Court should dismiss Onoh’s claims against Defendant Sowore “due to a lack of subject matter jurisdiction”.
“Specifically, Defendants contend that Onoh’s lack of specific pleadings regarding her citizenship destroy the complete diversity of the parties required by 28 U.S.C. § 1332,” it reads.
But the plaintiff in the affidavit said, “Due to Defendants’ actions in publishing these defamatory lies about her, Onoh decided to seek permanent residence here in the United States. Specifically, Onoh is in the process of obtaining her Permanent Legal Resident status.
“Onoh intends to remain a Texas resident indefinitely following receipt of this new status.”
She said though the defendants’ publication was done in New York, the effect was felt in Texas where “Onoh has lived permanently since 2021 and had a home since 2005”.
“Because of the Article, Onoh will never be able to work in the diplomatic field again where she had dedicated 30 years of her life,” she said.
According to Onoh, she lost over 90% of her friends, colleagues and acquaintances because of the report.
“Second, to protect herself, Onoh started hiding her identity and using a pseudonym when she met new people so that they would not look up her name and see the Article.
“Even in her church, Onoh has not been able join the choir out of fear of any background check.
“Third, to avoid such embarrassment, Onoh’s social life is practically non-existent. In particular, she avoids all Nigerian gatherings. Even having to provide her driver’s license for something as simple as a store Rewards Card causes her extreme anxiety.
“Since the publication of the Article, Onoh has been under constant physical and emotional distress. In addition to having lost her friends and family and being forced to stay away from her homeland, Onoh has remained in constant fear for her safety.”
She also claimed that she has been finding it “difficult to sleep through the night since the Defendants published the Article”.
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“Even in church, I have not been able to join the choir because I am afraid of the background check necessary and having to answer and explain what I should not have to explain. I am not a member of any church ministry and I am not an official member of my church because I simply do not want to give my real name and I do not want to lie either,” she added.
Onoh Lies Under Oath
Meanwhile, the former Nigerian Ambassador lied under oath before the U.S. District Court of Northern Texas in her affidavit that during the 2021 United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), which opened on September 14, 2021, then Minister of Foreign Affairs Geoffrey Onyeama and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Gabriel Aduda delivered tens of thousands of dollars in cash to SaharaReporters’ New York office, through one Flavour Eze, said to be Onyeama’s Personal Assistant.
Meanwhile, SaharaReporters’ office in New York has closed since 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic.
Also, Sowore was arrested and detained in January 2021 and detained by the police under then President Muhammadu Buhari’s government in Abuja. He was later released within the month after a Chief Magistrates’ Court in Abuja granted him bail. However, the court restricted his movement to Abuja even though there was a subsisting Federal High Court order from 2019 which had already restricted his movement to Abuja.
Meanwhile, Sowore has not been in charge of SaharaReporters since he resigned from the company in 2019 contrary to claims by Onoh that he is the Chief Executive Officer of the company.
Onoh also lied that she had never been indicted for any financial misconduct.
SaharaReporters on September 22, 2021 exposed how a report by a seven-member committee indicted the then envoy to Namibia.
In the affidavit, Onoh claimed that she was not indicted by any committee report of the committee and was never been asked to refund a sum of N50 million.
But the Federal Civil Service Commission in a letter dated October 20, 2021, signed by Mrs Patricia U. Umo, Director, Discipline and Appeals on behalf of the Chairman, suspended Onoh for gross financial misappropriation and fraud.
The letter titled, ‘Suspension From Duty Amb. Lilian Onoh, Director (Foreign Affairs) SGL. 17,’ read, “I am directed to refer to the recommendations of the Senior Staff Committee of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the allegations of Misconduct and Serious Misconduct leveled against you as listed in PSR 030402.
“Consequently, the Commission has approved your suspension from duty with immediate effect in accordance with PSR 030406. Meanwhile, the recommendation of the Federal Service Management Committee (FSMC) of the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federal (OHCSF), on the matter is being awaited.
“Please, accept the regards of the Honourable Chairman.”
Also, then Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama set up a committee following the allegations of corruption against Onoh when some officials of the Nigerian Mission in Namibia, travelled to Windhoek, Namibia on April 12, 2021, where they were received by the Charge d' Affaires, Mr. Ali Gombe.
Following the discovery of the infractions, Onoh was asked to refund the sum of $42,500 as an education supplement in respect of her adopted daughters and refund $2,614 as Excess on AIE (Excess payment).
Meanwhile, according to a letter signed by the Director of Discipline and Appeals, NA Esuabana, at the Federal Civil Service Commission, Abuja, Onoh was summarily dismissed after the Disciplinary Committee of the commission found her guilty of "breach of provisions of Financial Regulations on virement, absence from duty without leave, refusal to take/carry out lawful instruction which are acts of serious misconduct.”
Although Onoh was suspended in 2021, her sacking was ratified after a meeting of the committee.
The committee also directed that she should be handed over to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) for investigation.
According to the letters dated February 28 and March 22 respectively, and made available to this organisation, the committee sat and deliberated on the investigation carried out regarding accusations against the ambassador and therefore dismissed her forthwith.
Her dismissal took effect from February 1, 2021.
Onoh, a sister of former Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria and current Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Ojukwu, was in 2021 accused of illegal diversion of funds meant for the day-to-day operation of the mission and was asked to refund the sum of $45,539.11, $70,448, and N614,000. This was part of the recommendations of the seven-man committee headed by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Gabriel Aduda.
She was also asked to refund N66,168 spent on airfare of two domestic helps, $425 spent on stopover for "two domestic helps and N34,000 for an extra night in Abuja hotel.”
Others are, "Hotel accommodation - 11-17 December, 2017, N312, 000; Guest hotel accommodation - 26-31 December, 2018, N268, 200."
The letters detailing her summary dismissal read, “I am directed to inform you that the Federal Civil Service Commission at its 33rd meeting held on Wednesday 14th December, 2022 deliberated on the allegation of breach of provisions of Financial Regulations on virement, absence from duty without leave, refusal to take/carry out lawful instruction which are acts of serious misconduct and misconduct under the PSR 030402(e),(m),(w) and 030301(m) and found you culpable of the offences.
“The Commission has, therefore approved your dismissal from the Service with effect from 1st February, 2021. The Commission wishes you well in your future endeavor; N.A.Esuabana, Director (Discipline and Appeals) For: Honourable Chairman.”
The other letter read, “I am directed to refer to the above subject, and inform you that the Federal Civil Service Commission at its 33rd meeting held on Wednesday 14th December, 2022 deliberated on the case of the under listed Officer and approved as stated below:
“Name, Rank: Amb. Lilian I. Onoh, Ambassador; Decision: The Commission considered the case and approved the dismissal from the Service of the Officer with effect from 1st February, 2021 and that the Officer be handed over to the ICPC for further investigation.
“You are therefore, kindly requested to deliver the attached original letter to the concerned officer.”
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