Prominent Civil Rights Advocacy Group, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), has written a letter of apology to a staff of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited Ms. Asabe Waziri through her private/personal counsel/Legal consultant Deji Adeyanju’s law firm, over some perceived insinuations in the FOI request bothering on alleged misconduct unbecoming of a public officer or of corruption which the Rights group has described as totally unintended.

HURIWA had written a freedom of information request to the NNPCL requesting some information on the employment status of the staff of the NNPCL but the NNPCL had swiftly responded to the FOI request declining to provide such demanded information on some legal grounds including the claim that the NNPCL is not under any obligations to disclose such personal information on their staff. HURIWA has determined that the response from NNPCL was satisfactory as it was no longer interested to pursue any further request and/or public interest action on the same subject matter. NNPCL’s reply was authored by the law firm of Chief Afe Babalola(SAN).

But following a letter from the private counsel of Ms. Waziri complaining about insinuations made in the FOI request which may have painted her client in untoward position, the prominent Civil Rights Advocacy Group: HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) therefore authored a letter of unconditional apology to the client of Deji Adeyanju law firm: Ms. ASABE WAZIRI.

Dated 26^th April, 2024, HURIWA’S LETTER OF APOLOGY to Ms. Asabe Waziri stated as follows:

“On behalf of our organisation, we write to tender our sincerest and unreserved apology to you for our decision to write to your employer.

“We apologise for whatever insinuations of official misconduct unbecoming of a public officer or of corruption that may have been perceived from our FOI letter to your employer. This is totally unintended as we hold you in high esteem.

“We wish to let you know that we never did that letter on behalf of anybody, but it was a decision of our organization and our intentions are of the best of intentions and not to malign or discredit you. We once more, extend to you our apology.

“Whilst believing that our explanation is satisfactory, we hereby assure you of our highest honour and consideration even as the letter was endorsed by Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, the National Coordinator of the HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA).”

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