Xenophobic Attacks: FG suspends Permanent Secretary for recalling ambassadors

The Federal Government has suspended the Permanent Secretary (PS) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Danjuma Sheni for recalling Nigeria’s envoys in South Africa following a spate of xenophobic attacks.

Sheni was suspended on Tuesday, April 28, 2015, for summoning the diplomats without President Goodluck Jonathan’s approval, Punch reports.

The PS was said to have initially received a query from the Head of Service of the Federation, Danladi Kifasi before being suspended.

“The permanent secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been suspended and queried for embarrassing the President by not receiving approval from him before inviting the Charge D’Affairs,” a government official, who chose to remain anonymous, said.

“The President on Monday directed the Head of Service to query him and he has 24hours to respond to the query. You will recall that that was the second embarrassment with this one coming shortly after the Morocco saga. The permanent secretary was to be dismissed immediately but for the civil service rule. Even at that, there will still be further consequence,” the source added.

The official said further that a new permanent secretary had been deployed to the ministry to replace Sheni.

South Africa had criticized Nigeria’s supposed recall of its ambassadors on Saturday, April 25, 2015, calling it an unfortunate step.

However, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Musiliu Obanikoro hastily denied that the envoys had been recalled saying instead that they had been invited back home for consultations on the attacks.