The Federal Government has prohibited the use of the title “Ambassador” by individuals who are not officially appointed, warning that such practices are misleading and unlawful.
The clarification was made by the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, during a press briefing in Abuja on Friday.
According to the government, the title “Ambassador” is strictly reserved for persons formally appointed and accredited by President Bola Tinubu.
Ebienfa expressed concern over the increasing number of individuals falsely presenting themselves as ambassadors, noting that the trend has created confusion, particularly among foreign diplomatic missions.
He revealed that the ministry has received several inquiries from international bodies seeking to confirm the status of Nigerians claiming ambassadorial positions, a situation that has strained official communication channels.
The spokesperson attributed the issue to certain organisations and private groups that unlawfully confer such titles. While acknowledging that some institutions legitimately appoint brand ambassadors for promotional purposes, he said many recipients wrongly adopt the title as if it were an official diplomatic designation.
“All these categories of persons often add the prefix ‘Ambassador’ to their names, which is causing serious confusion,” he said.
Ebienfa also warned of fraudulent schemes in which unsuspecting individuals are offered fake ambassadorial appointments in exchange for large sums of money. He noted that such offers often come with forged documents, including appointment letters, diplomatic passports, vehicle number plates, and identity cards falsely linked to the ministry.
Describing the practice as both impersonation and fraud, the government warned that offenders would be prosecuted in line with the law.
He reiterated that only the President, as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, has the constitutional authority to appoint and accredit ambassadors on behalf of Nigeria.
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