Nigerian Embassy Fires 15 Local Staff In Washington

The Nigerian Embassy in Washington, DC, has disengaged some 15 local workers at the embassy, TOPNAIJA.NG can confirm.

Senior officials at the embassy told the press that the benefits of the 15 local workers would be paid soon.

They said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abuja, approved the disengagement of the workers due to some ongoing rationalisation of workers at the embassy.

The officials, however, said the ministry had also approved the payment of gratuities to the workers, some of whom had worked with the embassy for more than 30 years.

Some of the affected workers had alleged that the decision to lay them off was arbitrary.

They also alleged that the embassy had no plans to pay their gratuity and other severance benefits.

Further, the local staff, who are mostly Nigerians, accused the Mission of retaining the non-Nigerian employees at the expense of those who are of Nigerian nationality.

However, the embassy officials denied that there was no prior notice to the disengaged workers, saying they actually agreed to the arrangement since February 2017.