The Nigerian government has strongly condemned the ongoing Israeli military operations in Gaza, emphasising the need to preserve the fundamental human rights of the vulnerable civilian population, particularly their right to life.
In a statement signed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, Nigeria expressed its deep concern over the escalating violence in the Israel-Palestine conflict.
“The government and people of Nigeria condemn, in the strongest possible terms, the onslaught on defenceless civilians currently being witnessed in Gaza. The latest deadly attacks on the Rafah Displacement Camps in Southern Gaza on Sunday, which killed about 45 people, mostly women and children, represent an unfortunate addition to the list of strikes on soft civilian targets with devastating effects,” the statement read.
The government highlighted a series of recent attacks, including the bombing of the Al Shifa Hospital in early April, the serial bombing of schools in Khan Younis, the March 2024 bombing of the Firas Market, the Nuseirat Refugee Camp Market, and drone attacks on World Central Kitchen aid staff in April. These incidents, Nigeria stated, indicate “a most regrettable affront on humanity, which must be denounced in its entirety.”
Nigeria expressed grave concern for the safety and welfare of Gaza’s civilian population and deplored the humanitarian catastrophe that has resulted from the conflict. The government condemned the violation of ceasefire agreements, the disruption of humanitarian corridors, and the sabotage of aid and relief efforts.
“Nigeria strongly maintains that the fundamental human rights, especially the right to life, of Gaza’s vulnerable civilian population must be preserved at all costs. We call on all stakeholders—including the warring parties, the United Nations and its Security Council, the European Union, human rights groups, civil society organizations, world leaders, and the international community—to intensify efforts towards a speedy resolution of the conflict and the immediate cessation of the carnage on defenseless people, not just in Gaza, but on both sides of the divide. No lesser alternative will be acceptable,” the statement continued.
Ambassador Tuggar reiterated Nigeria’s support for a two-state solution as essential to resolving the ongoing conflict, affirming that an intervention on behalf of Gaza’s people is a crucial contribution to the preservation of humanity and its values.
