Abuja — In a move that could lead to a major diplomatic row, Nigeria has recalled its ambassador to Libya, Alhaji M. K. Ibrahim.
The recall is in relation to the North African country's leader Muammar Ghaddafi's suggestion that Nigeria is better off "split" into two countries - one Muslim, the other Christian - as a way of solving its sectarian and religious problems.
Nigeria's action comes as the House of Representatives strongly expressed displeasure yesterday over Ghaddafi's utterances, urging the Nigerian government to commence the process of severing ties with the country.
A statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the ambassador to Tripoli, the Libyan capital, was recalled for "urgent negotiations" because of the "irresponsible utterances of Colonel Ghaddafi".
"His theatrics and grandstanding at every auspicious occasion have become too numerous to recount," the statement added.
Lawmakers also asked the Nigerian government to summon the Libyan envoy in Nigeria to explain the true position of his home government on the matter.
Chairman, House Committee on Airforce, Honourable John Halims Agoda, who sponsored a motion on the Libyan issue said Ghaddafi's comments deserved to be condemned.
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Agoda argued that it is ironical and unfortunate that Ghaddafi who during his recent tenure as the Chairman of the African Union (AU) had canvassed the creation of a United States of Africa, is now interested in the balkanisation of Africa's most populous country.
He said that although Ghaddafi has remained controversial on African politics and global politics, his call for the disintegration of Nigeria must not be taken lightly.
"We urge the Federal Government to liaise with the United Nations Security Council to as a matter of utmost urgency order the Libyan Leader, Colonel Muammar Ghaddafi, to stop forthwith his call for the break up of Nigeria along religious divide in order to end the recurring crisis in the country.
"We also call on the Federal Government to request the African Union (AU) to order an independent investigation into the motivation of Colonel Ghaddafi's comments on Nigeria and ascertain if there is a relationship between the comments and the primary sources of the supply of infiltrators who come to fight Nigerians in their homeland.
"It is very inciting and dangerous to the corporate existence of Nigeria. We should condemn his (Ghaddafi) utterances and forge ahead as one indivisible nation in line with the vision of our founding fathers. We must see our differences as something that should propel us to move ahead and continue to live in peace with our neighbours," Agoda said.
Chairman, House Committee on Banking and Currency, Honourable Ogbuefi Ozomgbachi, said the utterances credited to Ghaddafi are the hallmark of irresponsibility while Honourable Sada Soli Jibia said they are laughable. He added that his words must have been borne out of ignorance on the true situation of things in Nigeria. Others who condemned the Libyan leader include Honourable Khadijat Bukar Ibrahim and Honourable Dino Melaye.
Although Honourable Patrick Obahiagbon expressed misgivings with the utterances, he called on the National Assembly and Nigerians to see it as a wake up call. According to Obahiagbon, Ghaddafi might have gone too far in his postulations on Nigeria, but the religious and ethnic conflicts that had plagued the nation in recent times need to be addressed decisively to safeguard the unity of the country.
Obahiagbon recalled that not too long ago, a group in the United States of America predicted that Nigeria would become a failed state by 2015 and later reviewed it to 2013. He argued that given the trend of events in the country in recent times, Nigeria may actually be moving towards the precipice just as Ghaddafi said, unless urgent steps are taken to halt the drift towards disintegration.
Former Speaker of the House, Honourable Patricia Etteh, also argued in the same direction but the duo of Honourable Ike Chinwo and Honourable Alex Ukam were bluntly against the motion because of their belief that Ghaddafi spoke based on the indices of disintegration which, they said, were already manifesting across Nigeria.
They both argued that rather than vilify Ghaddafi, the Federal Government should rise to the challenge of insecurity in places such as Jos, Plateau State and the Niger Delta. Security agencies deployed in these flash points should be alive to their responsibilities - investigating, apprehending, prosecuting and punishing all persons who unleash terror on the society, they argued.
On Tuesday, Senate President David Mark described Ghaddafi as a "mad man" for advocating the break-up of the country. Other reactions also condemned the North African leader for his inflammatory comments.
Ghaddafi had also suggested that India and Pakistan are better off after they were split between the mainly Muslim Pakistan and Hindu dominated India.
Meanwhile, the House urged security agencies to conduct a thorough probe into the bomb blasts that rocked Warri, Delta State on Monday during a post-amnesty conference organised by Vanguard Newspapers. -- With agency report.
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Condemning Ghaddafi is the typical reaction by Nigerian leaders who sit in Ivory towers very remote from realities ordinary people are facing. If your family has not been wiped out, your business or property not destroyed, your church not burned down over and over again, your means of livelihood not destroyed etc, by these terrorists, you can sit comfortably and curse Ghaddafi. Those at the receiving end of Islamic terrorism in Nigeria will certainly take exception. It can no longer be business as usual.
Except for suggesting who gets what capital, this is one of the most important statements, if not the most important statement, Ghaddafi has ever made. We have said this all along. See below. If the disengagement cannot be done peacefully, the Sharia states should be excised.
EXCISION
It should not be forgotten that the ultimate solution to the intransigence of the Sharia states, to removing the terrorism stigma; to saving thousands of lives perennially slaughtered by Sharia state Muslims and to moving forward and being reckoned as an emerging market along with the CIBS (China, India, Brasil and South Africa) is EXCISION. This is the only way to eradicate the culture of corruption and impunity. That is the only way forward!!!
Greetings from Copenhagen
excisionist(at)gmx.com
Gaddafi should not interfere with Nigeria's internal affairs. Surely this is not the way to Africa integration.Let him appologise to Nigerian citizenry.
Ghaddafi help ruined Liberia with his support to Rebel Taylor and folks. We say where there is smoke, there is fire. Nigeria watch out for this gentleman and remain united because Libya wants to be the only major power in Africa, mainly oil money.
So, you people want to kill Ghadaffi for saying the truth? We don´t even need Ghadaffi to say it, we know it and it is about time that Nigeria part ways. Like a bomb waiting to explode, it will either be done peacefully or violently. Nigeria has never existed as a country and this is the naked truth no matter how much we pretend. Nigeria is silently at war.
Can we say we are seeing once again a Nation in the hay days of Buhari/Idiagbon era, where it is tit for tat diplomacy for reckless interlopers like Quadafi, which help put the tail under these coward Nations who want to punch Nigeria while its down (the down fall, albeit from our own very hands). Can you imagine, the kinds of uther nonsense one have to stomach in those dark era of Babangida, shonekan,Abacha, Abubakar, Obasanjo and Yar'adua. This coward Nations (US, European Nations-not all,and even Some African Nations). Can you imagine African Nations, top of which is South Africa whom we play no small role in their soon to be squandered liberation. They have the effontry especially the lost black Africans within, to publish all sorts of rubbish, with reckless abandon in press, virtually on a daily basis. Simply because they fail to arrest Igbos in Johanesburg and everywhere that are spoiling the good deeds of fellow Nigerians in that country-blind as they are they don't know who is who even other nationals pose as Nigerians to carry out dastardly acts on our behalf. The most resent nonsense, is their useless report of confirmation of Nigerian Super Eagles coming to Richards Bay for the world cup, in which the local press are saying Nigerians are coming to town to Kidnap their children and sell abroad and every one took this like a drunkard takes his bottle. I'm not saying some of the reports are not true, but I'm saying things are being blown out of proportion here and something need be done as this is affecting the good things good people of Nigeria are doing all over the world to uplift their host communities which are hardly appreciated anyway in South africa. I will like to say here that, in view of the foregoing, we should stop and reflect that in as much as we need our dignity back, we could not divorce the element of truth from what Quadafi is saying perhaps we need to look for ways to address the issue as they have been a long standing one and now rearing an ugly head like a monster threatening to devour the Nation. I'm very sure we'll have this under control if we put all hands on deck and support the effort of Dr Goodluck Jonathan to move the Nation forward. Now indeed is the time or else we are forward lost in the commity of nations forever. Repeat after me, Nigeria, great Nation good people.
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