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From Aidoghie Paulinus, Abuja
The Federal Government has called for the respect of the sovereignty, territorial integrity and unity of Somalia.
The call is sequel to Israel’s recognition of the Somaliland region of the Federal Republic of Somalia as an independent state.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a statement by its spokesperson, Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, said the Federal Government reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity, and political independence of all Member States of the United Nations and the African Union, as enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations and the Constitutive Act of the African Union.
“In this regard, Nigeria declares its firm and unequivocal support for the sovereignty, unity, and statehood of the Federal Republic of Somalia.
“Nigeria recognizes the government of Somalia as the legitimate authority representing the Somali people and commends its continued efforts to achieve peace, security, and national reconciliation amidst significant challenges.”
The government further said Nigeria stands in solidarity with Somalia and strongly condemns any actions or rhetoric that seek to undermine its constitutional order and territorial integrity.
“The government of Nigeria calls on all regional and international actors to strictly respect Somalia’s sovereignty and to support its institutions in their vital work of rebuilding a stable, prosperous, and resilient nation.
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“We believe that the stability of Somalia is integral to the peace and security of the entire Horn of Africa region and the African continent at large. Therefore, Nigeria remains committed to supporting Somalia through multilateral frameworks and international cooperation.
“The government of Nigeria urges international actors to desist from recognising any part of the territory of Somalia as an independent entity. Such actions would only escalate the crisis and should be avoided.”
Meanwhile, Nigeria has joined the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the Arab Republic of Egypt, the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria, the Union of the Comoros, the Republic of Djibouti, the Republic of The Gambia, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Republic of Iraq, the State of Kuwait, the State of Libya, the Republic of Maldives, the Sultanate of Oman, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the State of Palestine, the State of Qatar, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Federal Republic of Somalia, the Republic of the Sudan, the Republic of Türkiye, the Republic of Yemen, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in rejecting the recognition of Somaliland by Israel.
Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the respective countries, in a joint statement at the weekend, underscored their unequivocal rejection of Israel’s recognition of the Somaliland region of the Federal Republic of Somalia on 26 December 2025, given the serious repercussions of such unprecedented measure on peace and security in the Horn of Africa, the Red Sea, and its serious effects on international peace and security as a whole, which also reflects Israel’s full and blatant disregard to international law.
The foreign ministers also underscored their condemnation in the strongest terms of such recognition which they said constituted a grave violation of the principles of international law and the United Nations Charter, which explicitly stipulated the imperative of protecting the sovereignty of states and their territorial integrity, and reflects Israel’s expansionism.
While further underscoring full support of the sovereignty of the Federal Republic of Somalia, and the unequivocal rejection of any measures that undermine the unity of Somalia, its territorial integrity or its sovereignty over its entire territory, the foreign ministers stated that the recognition of parts of states constitutes a serious precedent and threatens international peace and security, and violates the cardinal principles of international law and the United Nations Charter.
The ministers equally underscored the full rejection of any potential link between such a measure and any attempts to forcibly expel the Palestinian people out of their land, which is unequivocally rejected in any form as a matter of principle.
