President Bola Tinubu has reportedly issued a directive to recall all Nigerian ambassadors, both career and non-career diplomats, from their respective postings, according to a statement by Minister of Foreign Affairs Yusuf Tuggar. The recall order was confirmed on Saturday through a press release by Alkasim Abdulkadir, the SA, Media and Communications Strategy to Ambassador Tuggar.
This move comes on the heels of SK Blog’s earlier report on the recall of Nigeria’s envoy to the United Kingdom, Sarafa Ishola. Ambassador Tuggar’s recall letter to Ambassador Ishola signified the termination of his tenure as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to the United Kingdom. In the letter, Ishola was urged to initiate the process of concluding his duties and formally bidding farewell to the host government within a 60-day period. He is expected to return to Nigeria no later than October 31, 2023.
The official statement regarding the comprehensive recall of all ambassadors reads as follows:
“Sequel to the inquiries on the letter recalling the Nigerian ambassador to the UK, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, has clarified that all career ambassadors and non-career ambassadors have been recalled on the instructions of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Ambassadors, as representatives of the country, serve at the behest of the President, and it’s his prerogative to send or recall them from any country.”
This sweeping decision to recall all Nigerian ambassadors reflects a significant shift in the nation’s diplomatic landscape and has raised questions about the potential implications for Nigeria’s foreign relations and international engagements. SK Blog will continue to monitor this developing story and provide updates as they become available.