By; MKPUMA ENYINNA, Abakaliki
Following the lingering crisis between Nigerian Ambassadors and Foreign Affairs Minister, the Nigerian envoys have resisted the eviction notice issued by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Tuggar Yusuf over non payment of their entitlement and passages to the outgoing Ambassadors and consequent replacement with junior diplomats.
A statement issued by the Special Assistant to the Dean None Career Ambassadors, Mr.Iduma Chris Mayor said that, in a collective show of defiance, the ambassadors and high commissioners have pledged to resist any attempts by the Minister of Foreign Affairs to embarrass them through the deployment of junior officers, potentially compromising the reputation of Nigeria on the international stage.
`In a startling turn of events, Nigeria’s ambassadors and high commissioners currently stationed abroad are facing eviction from their residences and offices following a directive issued by the Minister of Foreign Affairs. The directive, encapsulated in Circular No. S. 124, dated 03/11/2023, and signed by the Permanent Secretary, Ambassador Adamu I. Lamuwa, has sent shockwaves through the diplomatic community.
“What’s more, the disconcerting aspect of this order is that the Ministry is yet to reimburse the diplomats for their return passages, a critical element of the ongoing dispute.
`The diplomats have wasted no time in responding to this perceived affront to their rights and professional dignity. In a collective show of defiance, the ambassadors and high commissioners have pledged to resist any attempts by the Minister of Foreign Affairs to embarrass them through the deployment of junior officers, potentially compromising the reputation of Nigeria on the international stage.
Mr. Iduma further explained that based on the standard practice, until the Ministry’s headquarters financially backs the return passages for foreign service officers whose tours of duty have concluded, these officers are entitled to continue enjoying the privileges associated with their diplomatic posts, saying that this practice is not unique to Nigeria, but it is a globally recognized norm.
He also added that the crisis underscores concerns not only regarding the treatment of Nigeria’s dedicated diplomats but also the potential breach of established regulations governing their assignments.
He revealed that for five consecutive months, they envoys have not received their allocations for missions which has left the diplomats in the challenging position of having to use their personal savings to manage their respective missions and embassies.
