Reps to probe rot in Nigerian missions in US

The House of Representatives on Wednesday resolved to launch a probe into Nigera’s diplomatic missions in the United States following revelations of administrative decay, infrastructural collapse and financial mismanagement which lawmakers say are eroding the country’s image abroad. This followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance by the House Minority Leader, Kingsley […]

The House of Representatives on Wednesday resolved to launch a probe into Nigera’s diplomatic missions in the United States following revelations of administrative decay, infrastructural collapse and financial mismanagement which lawmakers say are eroding the country’s image abroad.

This followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance by the House Minority Leader, Kingsley Chinda (Rivers, PDP).

Chinda, in his motion, expressed concern over findings from a recent oversight visit by the Nigeria–United States Parliamentary Friendship Group to Nigeria’s mission houses in New York, Atlanta, and Washington DC.

He said while in New York, lawmakers discovered that the mission was deeply indebted in rent and has failed to pay over 30 staff members for more than a year.

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In Washington DC, Chinda said, it took the personal intervention of a patriotic Nigerian to repair a faulty elevator in the mission house—a development the lawmaker described as symptomatic of “gross negligence and systemic dysfunction.”

The lawmaker warned that the situation at the missions reflects a broader collapse in Nigeria’s Foreign Service operations and could damage the country’s standing in global diplomacy.

Chinda expressed concern that despite yearly budgetary allocations to cover salaries, facility maintenance, and operational costs, the missions remain in a deplorable state, worsened by the declining value of the naira.

“This is not just about poor maintenance; it’s about the country’s image and strategic interests,” Chinda stated.

“If we cannot manage our missions in the United States—the host country of the United Nations—we risk losing credibility in the international arena.”

The lawmaker also expressed dismay that Nigeria has failed, for two consecutive years, to appoint a Permanent Representative to the United Nations and a High Commissioner to the United States—two critical diplomatic posts that have remained vacant while key global conversations continue without Nigeria’s representation.

He further noted that Nigeria’s missions, especially in the US, are vital for advancing the nation’s diplomatic, economic and cultural goals.

Disturbed by the ongoing neglect, the House warned that unless immediate action is taken, the situation could plunge Nigeria into diplomatic ridicule and irrelevance among global powers.

Following the debate, the House resolved to call on the federal government to immediately appoint a Nigerian Permanent Representative to the United Nations and a High Commissioner to the United States.

The House urged the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation to urgently address the crisis, particularly in the US missions, to avert further embarrassment and operational collapse.

The House mandated the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Nigeria–US Parliamentary Friendship Group to investigate the administrative, financial and infrastructural conditions of Nigeria’s missions in New York, Atlanta and Washington DC and report back within four weeks.

The motion was referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Nigeria-US Parliamentary Friendship Group for further legislative action.