A Dutch diplomat has lost his position after comments about alleged unethical conduct and corruption indulged in by the country’s businesses operating in Nigeria, a Dutch newspaper has reported.
An investigation into Mr Petri’s tenure as ambassador to Nigeria was prompted by a complaint of integrity received by the country, the report revealed. The leakage of the confidential information fueled tensions at the embassy. The report said Mr Smaling’s position was created in 2012, after the foreign economic relations department was transferred from Economic Affairs to Foreign Affairs ministry.
An instance was given of the Swiss-Dutch commodity trader, Vitol, which shipped heavily polluted diesel from Rotterdam to Nigeria, which contains up to two hundred times as much sulfur as is permitted in Europe.Similarly, from his network, he is said to have received information about large Dutch companies that ‘bought off’ problems with Nigerian customs.