Nigeria has evacuated the families of diplomats serving in Abidjan because of the intensifying standoff following Ivory Coast’s disputed presidential election, a foreign ministry spokesman said Tuesday.
Foreign Minister Odein Ajumogobia issued the order “following the escalation of tension and the clashes between supporters of the president-elect, Alassane Ouattara, and the incumbent President Laurent Gbagbo,” Ozo Nwobu said.
“The families of officers serving in the mission have been moved to Accra, Ghana pursuant to this directive,” he said.
Nigeria’s mission in Abidjan remained open but only for essential services, according to Nwobu. He said he had no information on reports that Nigeria’s embassy had come under attack.
Ivory Coast strongman Gbagbo defied a global avalanche of criticism on Tuesday and insisted he is the true president of his country.
Gbagbo and Ouattara both claim to have won last month’s Ivorian presidential election, but UN poll monitors and most world powers have recognised the challenger as president and have demanded the incumbent step down.
Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan is the current chairman of West African bloc ECOWAS, which has called on Gbagbo to yield power immediately and suspended Ivory Coast from the organisation.
ECOWAS has scheduled an emergency summit on the crisis for Friday.