The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, has stated that Nigeria will not succumb to external pressure from the West, News About Nigeria reports.
He stated this while speaking in an interview with Sputnik in the course of his three-day working visit to Russia from the 5th to the 7th of March 2024.
He noted that Nigeria is not the kind of country to bow to pressure and will definitely not succumb to external pressure regarding cooperation with Russia.
According to him, the country has been single-minded since its inception, joining the non-aligned movement since its attainment of independence in 1960.
Tuggar maintained that Nigerians’ freedom is a right of the country and does not allow for dictatorship of any kind.
“You have to understand one thing. Nigeria is not the sort of country that succumbs to pressure.
“We do what we feel is right for us as a country; we are not dictated to by anyone.” He stated.
The minister further stated that Nigeria will welcome alternatives to the SWIFT payment system, including a Russian analogue, the Financial Messaging System of the Bank of Russia (SPFS), adding that Nigeria could consider using them if they satisfied its national interests.
“This (SPFS) is a very interesting system. It is welcome. You know, the more, the merrier, as they say.
“It doesn’t mean that SWIFT is not a good system, but if there are other alternatives, Nigeria would consider them, and if it’s in our interest to engage in it, we will for sure,” he added.
