Foreign
Israel accuses Iran of sponsoring terrorism in Nigeria
The Israel has renewed its allegations that Iran sponsors terrorism globally, including in Nigeria, amid an ongoing diplomatic row between the two countries over security claims and counter-claims.
In a statement issued on Tuesday in Abuja, Israel’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Michael Freeman, said Iran’s record on terrorism was well documented and could not be dismissed by public denials.
The statement followed recent comments by Iran’s envoy to Nigeria, Gholamreza Mahdavi Raja, who appeared on Arise Television on March 8, where he rejected accusations that Tehran sponsors extremist activities in Nigeria and across West Africa.
Responding to the denial, Freeman insisted that Iran has for decades been widely identified as a major state sponsor of militant groups across different regions of the world.
“For decades, Iran has been widely identified as the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism, providing funding, weapons, training and strategic direction to terrorist organisations such as Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis,” the Israeli envoy said.
He further argued that activities linked to Tehran have not been limited to the Middle East but have extended to other parts of the world.
“Iranian-backed operatives and networks have been linked to attacks and plots across the globe; from Argentina and Bulgaria to Australia and the United Kingdom,” Freeman said.
The ambassador also referenced the October 7 attacks carried out by Hamas against Israeli civilians, alleging that Iranian leaders publicly praised the assault and encouraged further violence against Israel.
Freeman noted that Nigeria has also recorded incidents allegedly connected to Iranian-linked operations.
According to him, Nigerian authorities intercepted a shipment of Iranian weapons in 2010 at the Apapa Port in Lagos, which he claimed was concealed in cargo containers and allegedly destined for armed groups operating in West Africa.
He also cited a 2013 security operation in which Nigerian authorities reportedly uncovered a weapons cache and arrested individuals linked to the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah in Abuja and Kano.
Commenting further, Freeman said Iran’s denials could not erase what he described as documented evidence of its activities.
“The Iranian regime can make as many statements as they like and appear on as many television channels as they want. But facts speak louder than words. And the fact is that Iran is the world’s largest sponsor of terrorism and has backed the Islamic Movement of Nigeria for years,” he said.
He also alleged that Iran has supported the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), noting that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei had previously met with the group’s leader Ibrahim Zakzaky and praised him for his activism.
The Israeli embassy said the statement was issued to counter what it described as misinformation regarding Iran’s global activities.
“Terrorism threatens the security and stability of nations across the world, including here in Nigeria,” the statement added.
The Iranian President, Masoud Pezeshkian, has listed three conditions his country demands to end the ongoing war with the US and Israel.
Mr Pezeshkian, in a post on X, on Wednesday, mentioned one of the conditions as being the “payment of reparations” by the US for the damage it has caused to Iran. He said he disclosed the conditions in meetings with the “leaders of Russia and Pakistan,” two countries that condemned the US and Israel for starting the war.
“Talking to leaders of Russia and Pakistan, I reaffirmed Iran’s commitment to peace in the region. The only way to end this war—ignited by the Zionist regime & US—is recognizing Iran’s legitimate rights, payment of reparations, and firm int’l guarantees against future aggression.”
Over 1,300 Iranians have reportedly been killed in the war which started when the US and Israel commenced an unprovoked attack on Iran 13 days ago.
Retaliatory strikes by Iran have killed eight American soldiers and at least 12 people in Israel.
Some of the victims of the American and Israeli strikes include Iran’s former Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khameini, and over 160 schoolgirls who were killed when a missile hit their school.
A US military investigation of the strike on the school confirmed it was carried out by the US, the New York Times reported on Wednesday.
Although the US says it has destroyed all of Iran’s air force and navy and virtually all its missile capabilities, Iran continues to fire missiles and drones at Israel and US interests in the Middle East.
Iran has also ensured the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, where about 20 per cent of the world’s oil passes, leading to petrol price increases across the world, including in Nigeria.
Foreign
UN Chief Warns: World economy at grave risk,; ‘the situation could spiral beyond anyone’s control’
War enters Sixth Day, Friday, March 6th, 2026.
Military strikes and counter-strikes, continuing across the Middle East as the US and Israel wage war on Iran.
With the world economy at grave risk, ‘the situation could spiral beyond anyone’s control’ warned UN chief António Guterres. “It is time to stop the fighting and get to serious diplomatic negotiations,” he urged.
He added that the unlawful attacks by all sides are causing tremendous suffering for civilians across the whole Middle East region.
Source: UN
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the postings of 31 career and 34 non-career ambassadors to various countries and the United Nations. The Senate confirmed the ambassadors-designate last December.
POSTINGS OF NON-CAREER AMBASSADORS / HIGH COMMISSIONERS
S/N NAME MISSION APPROVED
- SENATOR GRACE BENT: LOME-TOGO
- SEN. ITA ENANG: SOUTH AFRICA
- IKPEAZU VICTOR: SPAIN
- NKECHI LINDA UFOCHUKWU: TEL-AVIV, ISRAEL
- MAHMUD YAKUBU: QATAR
- PAUL OGA ADIKWU: THE VATICAN CITY HOLY SEE
- VICE ADMIRAL IBOK-ETE EKWE IBAS: THE PHILIPPINES
- MR. RENO OMOKRI: MEXICO CITY, MEXICO
- HON. (ENGR.) ABASI BRAIMAH (FMHR): BUDAPEST, HUNGARY
- MRS. ERELU ANGELA ADEBAYO: PORTUGAL
- BARR. OLUMILUA OLUWAYIMIKA AYOTUNWA: TOKYO, JAPAN
- RT. HON. UGWUANYI IFEANYI LAWRENCE: ATHENS, GREECE
- BARR. CHIOMA PRISCILLA OHAKIM: WARSAW, POLAND
- AMINU DALHATU: UNITED KINGDOM, UK
- LT. GEN ABDULRAHMAN BELLO DAMBAZAU: BEIJING, CHINA
- HON. TASIU MUSA MAIGARI: GAMBIA
- OLUFEMI PEDRO: AUSTRALIA
- BARR. MUHAMMED UBANDOMA ALIYU: ARGENTINA
- LATEEF KAYODE ARE: USA
- AMB. JOSEPH SOLA IJI: RUSSIA
- SEN. JIMOH IBRAHIM: UN PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE
- FEMI FANI KAYODE: GERMANY
- PROF. ISAAK FOLORUNSO ADEWOLE: OTTAWA, CANADA
- AJIMOBI FATIMA FLORENCE (F): AUSTRIA
- MRS. LOLA AKANDE (F): SWEDEN
- AYODELE OKE: FRANCE
- YAKUBU N. GAMBO: SAUDI ARABIA
- SENATOR PROF. NORA LADI DADUUT: SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA
- BARR. ONUEZE CHUKWUJIKA JOE OKOCHA SAN: DUBLIN
- DR. KULU HARUNA ABUBAKAR: TUNIS, TUNISIA
- RT. HON. JERRY SAMUEL MANWE: PORT OF SPAIN, T&T
POSTINGS OF CAREER AMBASSADORS / HIGH COMMISSIONERS LIST
S/N NAME MISSION APPROVED
- AMB. NWABIOLA EZENWA CHUKWUMEKA: COTE D’IV/OIRE
- BESTO MAIMUNA IBRAHIM: NIAMEY-NIGER
- MONICA OKWUCHUKWU ENEBECHI: SAO TOME, STP
- AMB. MOHAMMED MAHMUD LELE: ALGIERS-ALGERIA
- ENDONI SYNDOPH PAEBI: OUAGADOUGOU-BURKINA FASO
- AHMED MOHAMMED MONGUNO: CAIRO EGYPT
- AMB.JANE ADAMS (NEE OKON) MICHAEL (F): KINGSTON-JAMAICA
- AMB. CLARK-OMERU ALEXANDRA (F): LUSAKA-ZAMBIA
- CHIMA GEOGGREY LIOMA DAVID: BAMAKO-MALI
- AMB. ODUMAH YVONNE EHINOSEN: MALABO –E/GUINEA
- AMB WASA SEGUN IGE: BEIRUT, LEBANON
- RUBEN ABIMBOLA SAMUEL (F): ROME, ITALY
- AMB.ONAGA OGECHUKWU KINGSLEY: MAPUTO, MOZAMBIQUE
- AMB.MAGAJI UMAR: KINSASHA, DR CONGO
- AMB.MUHAMMAD SAIDU DAHIRU: NEW DELHI-INDIA
- AMB. ABDUSSALAM HABU ZAYYAD: DAKAR-SENEGAL
- AMB SHEHU ILU BARDE: ACCRA GHANA
- AMB.AMINU NASIR: ETHIOPIA
- ABUBAKAR MUSA MUSA: N’DJAMENA, CHAD
- AMB. HAIDARA MOHAMMED IDRIS: THE HAGUE-NETHERLANDS
- AMB.BAKO ADAMU UMAR: RABAT-MOROCCO
- AMB. SULU GAMBARI OLATUNJI AHMED: MALAYSIA
- AMB.ROMATA MOHAMMED OMOBOLANLE (F): TANZANIA
- AMB. SHAGA JOHN SHAMAH: BOTSWANA
- SALAU, HAMZA MOHAMMED: TEHRAN, IRAN
- AMB.IBRAHIM DANLAMI: KENYA
- IBRAHIM ADEOLA MOPELOLA (F): COTONOU-BENIN
- AMB.AYENI ADEBAYO EMMANUEL: BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
- AMB.AKANDE WAHAB ADEKOLA: BERNE-SWITZERLAND
- AMB. AREWA (NEE ADEDOKUN) ESTHER (F): WINDHOEK-NAMIBIA
- AMB.GERGADI JOSEPH JOHN: LIBREVILLE-GABON
- AMB. LUTHER OGBOMODE AYO-KALATA (F): SIERRA LEONE
- DANLADI YAKUBU NYAKU : KHARTOUM-SUDAN
- BELLO DOGON-DAJI HALIRU: BANGKOK, THAILAND
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has already received agrément from the United Kingdom for the High Commissioner-designate, Ambassador Aminu Dalhatu. Similarly, France has sent the agrément for Ambassador Ayo Oke.
The Ministry has also conveyed the nominations of the other 62 designated envoys to all the countries concerned, including a request for their agréments in line with standard diplomatic practice.
President Tinubu has directed that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs should immediately commence the induction programme for the ambassadors-designate and High Commissioners.
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