Our ties with Russia and Ukraine remain Intact”- Minister

Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Zubairu Dada says the country’s relationship with Russia and Ukraine remains intact.

Dada made the declaration in Abuja on Thursday, while fielding questions from Journalists at the weekly ministerial briefing organised by the Presidential Communications Team.

He said the ongoing war between the two countries has not in any way affected diplomatic ties with any of the two countries.

Corroborating the remark of the Minister, Nigeria’s permanent representative to the United Nations, Professor Tijjani Bande, said there is no problem whatsoever, between Nigeria and Russia and Ukraine.

He said: “Nigeria has not broken relations with Russia and there are several connections between Nigeria and Russia on many issues. Education is one. It is not like Nigeria is at war with Russia.

“Russia remains a member of the UN Security Council and a member of the United Nations.; it is a significant player in world politics. Who knows, next week there may be no problem between Russia and Ukraine and how do you start your relationship with Russia again?

“It is a balancing act. It is not like we have reached a point where Russia is so evil that Nigeria feels we are so good we cannot even talk to it or we cannot eat food because it is produced in Russia or we cannot take gas because it is Russian produced. So I think balance is key in diplomacy and Nigeria has been very clear as to that action of attack on Ukraine was unacceptable.”

Justice

Commenting on the case of a Nigerian lady, Itunu Babalola, who was wrongly jailed in Cote D’Ivoire and later died in prison, the Foreign Affairs Minister said the Nigerian government would not rest on its oars until justice is served in the matter.

Dada said; “The case of the lady that was wrongly jailed, I want us to understand that we are talking about a sovereign nation and the case was taken to a regular court and the Judge, in his wisdom, decided she was wrong and culpable and therefore she was jailed.

“The only recourse we have as a responsible nation is to go to court and appeal and this is precisely what has happened. We have appealed that judgement and it was in that process that this lady as they said, unfortunately fell sick and died in custody.”

“We have insisted that an autopsy be done on the corpse and we are also raising issues with the appropriate authorities, where we are not fully satisfied, to ensure that justice is done. So even in death, we are not leaving the matter to go. We cannot take the law into our hands in that country. Whether they jailed her rightly or wrongly, it is their law that was used, which we have to respect. Again, diplomacy is the only way to go and we are leaving no stone unturned and we have the tacit support of the House of Representatives Committee on Diaspora,” he said.

On the maltreatment of Nigerian traders in Ghana as well as the o occasional xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa, the Minister said decisions are being taken at the highest level and very soon, the two issues would be forgotten.

He said; “Starting with Ghana, I am aware that the Ministry of Trade and Investment in conjunction with us in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have gone very far in this regard. We have visited Ghana not less than three times; they have also been here the same number of times and a lot of progress has been made.

“In the case of South Africa, there is no doubt in the fact that South Africa respects Nigeria tremendously. The action of some very few South Africans is not and should not be seen as a reflection of the position of the South African government and its people.”

“I guess what is having is that there are some frustrated South Africans who believe that Nigerians are literally outshining them in their own land; Nigerian businesses there are moving very fast. To tackle the problem, in the course of our president’s visit to South Africa, the two countries have put in place early warning arrangements through which the two countries will continue to monitor some of this crisis so that we will not allow them to erupt before we manage them. All the security agencies in South Africa are on red alert to ensure that what happened in the past is not allowed to repeat itself and we are doing the same at this end,” Dada explained.

VON