Imams beg Egypt not to shut down Lagos office

The League of Imams and Alfas in the South-West, Edo and Delta states has pleaded with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Egypt not to shut the country’s consular office in Lagos.

The league, in an open letter to the Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sameh Shoukry, pleaded on behalf of Muslims in the Southern region of Nigeria who would travel to Abuja to process traveling documents.

In the letter written by the League’s President, Sheiks Haroon Shuara and its Publicity Secretary, Habeebullahi Al-Ilory, dated Monday, December 15, the Imams noted that the the shutting down of Egyptian Foreign Affairs consular office  would make business transactions between Muslims from the South and their Egyptian counterparts very difficult.

“We recall that the bilateral relationship between Nigeria and Egypt dated back to pre-independent Nigeria. This has engendered cultural exchange between the two countries without prejudice to other areas of international relations and diplomacy. The number of Muslims who will be affected by the proposed close down of the Lagos consul office will be enormous. The proximity of South-West and South-South to Lagos cannot be compared to Abuja where the embassy has another consul office,” part of the letter reads.

The Imams in the letter also pointed out that majority of Nigerian traders who transact businesses with Egypt received their goods either through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, or through the Lagos sea port.