PHOTO
Chairperson of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and President of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, reacts while addressing the ECOWAS head of states and government, following Niger's military junta, in Abuja Nigeria on July 30, 2023. West African leaders were to meet on Sunday for a crisis summit on the coup in Niger, where protesters tried to storm the French embassy after the junta warned of an "imminent military intervention". In the third coup to fell a leader in Africa's restive Sahel region in as many years, Niger's elected president, Mohamed Bazoum, has been held by the military since Wednesday. (Photo by Kola SULAIMON / AFP)
Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu has recalled all ambassadors from their duty posts worldwide with immediate effect, his office said.
Nigeria's United Nations Permanent Representatives in New York and Geneva will be exempted from the recall, a statement issued on Saturday by Ajuri Ngelale, the president's special adviser on media and publicity.
Their exemption was due to the upcoming United Nations General Assembly, due later this month, Ngelale said.
"President Tinubu directs the recall of all career and non-career ambassadors," Ngelale said.
The decision was based on a study of the present state of affairs at Nigerian Consulate Offices and Embassies worldwide, and in line with Tinubu’s resolve to ensure world-class efficiency and quality in Nigeria’s foreign service.
Since his inauguration in late May, Tinubu has introduced sweeping reforms in Africa's biggest economy, pledging to revamp the country's standing globally.
In a similar directive last month, Tinubu ordered an immediate resolution to disagreements with Emirates Airline and visa issuance by the UAE.
The UAE stopped issuing visas to Nigerians last year.
(Editing by Seban Scaria seban.scaria@lseg.com)
