The Embassy of Ecuador in Nigeria is refuting what it calls fake news published by a number of websites and newspapers that Ecuador and Nigeria have signed a visa-free agreement for Nigerian citizens.
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In a statement issued by Charge d’Affaires of Ecuador in Nigeria, Jaime Campas claims that the news was false and that no such agreement was ever reached between Ecuador and the Nigerian government.
The statement read, “This news is entirely without merit. The former ambassador to Nigeria, Leopoldo Rovayo, completed his tour and left Nigeria for his new position as Ambassador in Belarus in April. It would not have been impossible for him to make the agreement reported in the media.”
Rovayo was quoted in news reports as announcing the visa-free travel agreement between Nigeria and Ecuador last week.
“The news about the Embassy signing a visa-free agreement with the government of Nigeria, for Nigerian citizens, as published by different media houses is completely false, and should be disregarded as the former Ambassador to Nigeria, Leopoldo Rovayo, whose name was mentioned in the publication, reached no such agreement with the government of Nigeria.
The statement continues: “Any news regarding Ecuador Embassy concerning issuance of visas and other activities of the mission, will be sent out directly by the Embassy of Ecuador. The Nigeria media and the general public should take note. The Embassy condemns this development and urges news media to permanently delete from the online platforms this fake news as it did not originate from the Embassy.”
Nigeria is one of nine countries that Ecuador requires pre-arranged travel visas for its citizens due to the high incidence of human trafficking cases in the country.
