Wike Clears Air On Israeli Envoy’s Visit

By Remi Johnson

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has cleared the Air on the allegations over his October 3rd meeting with the Israeli Ambassador to Nigeria.

The Minister dismissed as baseless and untrue the insinuation from some quarters that he expressed support for Israel against Palestine.

Wike who made this known during a meeting with the leadership of the Abuja National Mosque Management Board in Abuja, said he had no constitutional powers to determine Nigeria’s diplomatic relationship with other countries, as such powers lies absolutely with the President.

The Israeli Ambassador to Nigeria, Michael Freeman, had on Tuesday 3rd October visited the FCT minister, days before the Hamas’ attack on Israel and the consequent and continued retaliation by the Jewish nation.

However, despite the gap between the visit and the eruption of conflict between the group and Israel, some elements had accused Wike of offering Nigeria’s support to Israel.

It is in this regard that Wike cleared the air on the allegation.

“I cannot determine a relationship between a country and another country. So, it is difficult for anybody to say I am doing this, I am doing that.Any foreign body that wants to have anything to do with Nigeria, it is the Minister of Foreign Affairs who will write to me”.

The minister further clarified that his meeting with the Israeli Ambassador was purely for agricultural partnership in the interest of farmers in the FCT.

The Israeli Ambassador to Nigeria, Michael Freeman, had during the visit expressed his country’s willingness to work with Nigeria to generate employment opportunities for the unemployed population, transform Abuja into a technology hub, and engage in agricultural partnership.

In response, Wike also conveyed Nigeria’s commitment to partnering with Israel in the field of Information Technology with a plan to establish a technology village in Abuja, as well as sought Israel’s assistance in enhancing Nigeria’s technological security measures to strengthen national security.

Edited By Grace Namiji