Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, made this known to journalists after a meeting with the Palestinian Ambassador to Nigeria, Abdallah Shawesh, on Tuesday.
Israel has heavily bombarded Gaza since Hamas gunmen stormed across the border on October 7, killing more 1,400 people, mostly civilians, and kidnapping at least 240 others, including children, according to Israeli officials.
The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said the strikes have killed 8,525 people, mainly civilians and including more than 3,500 children.
Tuggar lamented that innocent civilians were being killed in the conflict, calling on both parties to stop hostilities.
He stated “I reiterated to him [Palestinian Ambassador to Nigeria] Nigeria’s position which is for a two-state solution and we are totally against wanton and indiscriminate violence against civilians.
“It doesn’t matter who is carrying the violence out, Nigeria stands against that and with regards to the current situation in Gaza, Nigeria voted in favour of a cessation of hostilities [in Gaza]. That is our position and it will remain so.”
In his remarks, the Palestinian Ambassador to Nigeria stated that he was at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to solicit the support of Nigeria following her prominent position in Africa in particular and the world at large.
Amb. Shawesh stated “We all believe that Nigeria with its heavy political weight all around the world and particularly in Africa can do something very significant, can raise its voice. Many civilian children will be saved. This is very significant to us.
“Also when it comes to humanitarian issues, we are still looking at Nigeria to do something significant, especially after the mass destruction of Gaza. We will need a lot of rescue equipment and we believe that Nigeria can do a lot,” he said.
