REPUBLIC OF BENIN IS NOT ASPIRING TO BE PART OF NIGERIA, SAYS FGN

Oru Leonard

The federal government of Nigeria has denied reports alleging that Benin Republic wants to be a part of Nigeria.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs in Nigeria, Geoffrey Onyeama who made the clarification yesterday said in a press release made available to News Dot Africa yesterday in Abuja.

The Hon. Minister stated that the Benin Envoy to Nigeria was quoted out of context adding that Nigeria has no territorial ambition beyond its borders.

Read the full text below.

No: MFA/PR/2021/

REPUBLIC OF BENIN IS NOT ASPIRING TO BE PART OF NIGERIA

The attention of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been drawn to misleading reports in the media that the Republic of Benin is aspiring to be the 37 State of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama in the presence of his counterpart from the Republic of Benin granted a Press Interview after a very fruitful meeting between Ministerial delegations from both countries and stated therein “… the President of Benin Republic said he would like the relations between the two countries to be so close as if Benin was the 37th State of Nigeria”.

The Federal Republic of Nigeria has no territorial ambition and has never aspired to make Benin or any country as part of Nigeria.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs was therefore quoted out of context and the general public should kindly disregard the wrong information.

Signed

Ferdinand Nwonye
Spokesperson
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abuja

Saturday, 20 February, 2021