“Tinubu Cannot Be Arrested During UNGA, Enjoys Unimpeded Transit In US” — Nigeria’s UN Permanent Rep Jimoh Ibrahim Cites 1947 UN-US Agreement
President Bola Tinubu and members of his family “enjoy unimpeded transit in the United States and cannot be arrested while attending the United Nations General Assembly,” Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Jimoh Ibrahim, has said.
Ibrahim, who is also Chairman of the United Nations Committee on Budget and Administration, said the Nigerian Mission in New York had received “no notification from the US government imposing any restriction on Tinubu’s movement during the UNGA.”
The envoy stated this in a statement released on Sunday by the Office of the Permanent Representative of Nigeria to the UN in New York.
Citing Section 11 of the 1947 UN-US Agreement, Ibrahim said representatives of member states and their families were protected from impediments to transit to and from the UN headquarters district.
He explained that the provision requires US federal, state and local authorities to refrain from imposing restrictions on the movement of representatives of member states, their families, UN officials, specialised agencies and persons invited to the headquarters district on official business.
Ibrahim’s statement comes against the backdrop of an ongoing legal dispute in the US over access to records relating to Tinubu.
On July 15 that Tinubu was expected to attend the 81st UN General Assembly in New York where he is scheduled to address world leaders, and on September 3 that the Presidency dismissed suggestions that Tinubu was facing a criminal case in the US, describing a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit in Washington, DC, filed by transparency activist Aaron Greenspan as a civil records-disclosure case.
“The case is not a criminal case against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, nor has the court found him guilty of any criminal wrongdoing,” the Presidency said.
On the UNGA itself, Ibrahim said attendance was ultimately a matter of national priority, noting that more than 60 per cent of the current speaking list comprised vice presidents and foreign ministers.
He said presidents could therefore delegate representation when necessary.
He further explained that US law-enforcement authorities could invite individuals to provide information during investigations and collect identifying details, but such information remained protected and was not necessarily made public.
The envoy urged Nigerians to continue to hold the national flag in high esteem and support the economic transformation being pursued under Tinubu.
