Cold ties: FG desperate to explain recall of SA envoys

Foreign Minister Aminu Wali, seemed caught in desperate attempts to placate the South African Authorities, by explaining the summoning of its ambassador to South Africa following the xenophobic attacks in that country

The two officials in charge of the ministry, Foreign Minister Aminu Wali, and his junior minister, Sen Musiliu Obanikoro tried in separate instances, on Monday to explain government’s intentions.

South Africa had issued a testy statement on Sunday, a day after Abuja announced it had summoned its acting high commissioner to Pretoria and consul-general in Johannesburg for talks on the issue.

Wali in a statement on Monday, said, “This is a usual practice in the conduct of diplomacy.

“For the avoidance of doubt, we wish to reiterate that the two senior diplomats have been invited to come for consultation after which they would return to their duty posts.

“They have, therefore, not been recalled, as erroneously portrayed in the media,” he said

Obanikoro explained on his tweeter page, that Nigeria did not recall its high commissioner to South Africa over the ongoing xenophobic attacks.

Referring the reports as rumour, Obanikoro said the officials were only summoned for consultation.

“Please disregard rumours and reports that the ministry of foreign affairs has recalled its high commissioner to South Africa,” he wrote on Twitter.

“The MFA summoned the Nigerian high commissioner to South Africa for consultation. He was not recalled.”

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