The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and Special Envoy of President Muhammadu Buhari to the Republic of Türkiye, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, on 23rd February 2023, delivered the President’s condolence message following the 6th February earthquake that hit the country.
Bello was received by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Türkiye, Ambassador Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in the capital, Ankara. He was accompanied on the mission by the Nigerian Ambassador to Türkiye, Malam Ismail Abba Yusuf.
The Special Envoy noted that President Muhammadu Buhari was unable to personally pay a condolence visit to Türkiye due to the scheduled General Elections in Nigeria holding on 25th February 2023.
He conveyed the President’s heartfelt condolences on behalf of the Government and people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to the Government and people of Türkiye, over the devastating earthquake.
The Special Envoy also handed over Mr. President’s Letter of Condolence as well as a Central Bank of Nigeria Promissory Note of USD $1,000,000.00 (one million United States dollars), for onward transmission to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
He said the token was a donation by the Government of Nigeria to support the ongoing humanitarian efforts in cushioning the effects of the tragic earthquake.
The Türkiye Minister of Foreign Afairs in his remarks, explained that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, was unable to personally receive the Special Envoy due to exigencies of directly overseeing humanitarian efforts in the eleven (11) quake-hit southern provinces of the country – Adana, Adiyaman, Diyarbakir, Gaziantep, Hatay, Kahramanmaras, Kilis, Malatya, Osmaniye, Sanliurfa, and Elazig.
The Minister thanked President Muhammadu Buhari, the Government and people of Nigeria for their show of solidarity, financial as well as material support to the Republic of Türkiye in her trying times.
He noted that the First Lady of Nigeria, Hajiya Aisha Muhammadu Buhari, had earlier donated ten Thousand (10,000) blankets on behalf of African First Ladies Forum to the ongoing Humanitarian efforts in the country.
Ambassador Çavuşoğlu told the Special Envoy that as at 23d February 2023, no fewer than forty-three thousand (43,000) persons have been confirmed dead while 14 million (fourteen million) people were affected in eleven (11) provinces of the Country. He added that the Government has resolved to embark on rebuilding new Cities with all associated infrastructure in all the locations of the disaster.
The Minister, while wishing Nigeria a successful and peaceful General Elections, reiterated that in compliance with the country’s Constitution, the Government of Türkiye is also committed to conducting its forthcoming General Election scheduled to take place on 18th June 2023, despite the devastating effects of the earthquake.
