Tinubu, Family Clear of US Travel Ban Ahead of UNGA, Says Ambassador Ibrahim

NEW YORK, 6 September 2026 – Ambassador Jimoh Ibrahim, Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, told journalists that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his immediate family will not be subject to any movement restrictions while they attend the 81st UN General Assembly in New York. The statement, released through the Office of the Permanent Representative in New York, says the Nigerian mission has not received any notification from the United States government that would limit the President’s travel inside the United States.

Ibrahim referred to Section 11 of the 1947 Agreement between the United Nations and the United States concerning the UN headquarters. That clause, he explained, guarantees free movement for representatives of member states and their families when they travel to and from the UN district. He added that the provision is meant to prevent any impediment that could affect diplomatic engagement during the General Assembly.

The clarification comes at a time when public debate in Nigeria has intensified over rumours that the US might bar Tinubu from certain areas of New York or even arrest him on alleged criminal charges. Ibrahim stressed that an allegation alone does not amount to a crime and that any legal action must follow due process and be proven beyond reasonable doubt. “An allegation is not a crime,” he said, echoing a common legal maxim.

The Nigerian mission noted that more than 60 percent of the current UNGA speaking list comprises vice‑presidents and foreign ministers, underscoring the diplomatic weight of the gathering. Ibrahim urged that focus remain on the substantive agenda of the Assembly rather than unverified speculation about the President’s legal status.