Speaker Decries Absence Of Nig Mission In Iraq

By Oduyemi Odumade

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dr. Abbas Tajudeen has expressed concern over the absence of Nigeria mission in Iraq.

To this end, Dr. Abbas will meet with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar to discuss on ways to address the matter.

The Speaker’s decision followed a concern raised by the Iraqi Ambassador to Nigeria, Amb. Anwer Saeed Aljabali during a courtesy call on the Speaker in Abuja.

Dr Abbas who said the mission is a place where Nigerians can run to for help said Iraq is an important country in the comity of nations hence the Nigeria mission should be opened once again and be operational.

Speaker Abbas also informed the Iraqi Ambassador to Nigeria that the 10th House has established a Parliamentary Friendship Group that would relate with the Iraqi Parliament for better cooperation between the two countries.

“We are serious about parliamentary relations with parliaments around the world. That is why we created the Parliamentary Friendship Group with the Parliament of Iraq. The chairman of the committee will meet you in due course”.

Earlier, Ambassador Aljabali, who congratulated the Speaker on his emergence, stressed the need for a parliamentary friendship committee between the two countries.

The Iraqi Ambassador said the Nigerian Mission in Baghdad has been closed for many years even after the Iraqi war.

He said Nigerians living in that country have to go to countries like Oman to be attended to diplomatically.

While pleading with the Speaker to intervene on the matter, the Iraqi Ambassador noted that Baghdad currently houses over 140 missions.

Edited By Grace Namiji