President Muhammadu Buhari, on Monday, received Letter of Credence from Saharan Arab Democratic Republic, (SADR), also called Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic, a minority ethnic group in southern Morocco.
The Sahrawi people live in the western part of the Sahara desert which includes Western Sahara with a population of about 2.7 million.
They self-declared a state claiming authority over the disputed territory of Western Sahara, which is presently occupied by Morocco.
The independence of the SADR has been recognized at various points by some 80 countries.
Beginning in the mid-1990s, however, a number of them withdrew or suspended their recognition.
The region was a Spanish colony from c. 1884 to 1976.
After Spain withdrew from the region in early 1976, the Polisario Front—a politico-military organization based in Algeria and composed largely of Saharawi people.
The Saharawis – indigenous nomadic inhabitants of Western Sahara—declared the independence of the republic and the establishment of a government-in-exile and fought Morocco and Mauritania for control of the territory.
In 1979, Mauritania made peace with the Polisario Front and abandoned its territorial claims, whereupon Morocco annexed Mauritania’s portion and claimed the whole territory.
A referendum on whether the territory should remain part of Morocco or become independent has been repeatedly postponed.
Efforts by the United Nations to resolve the conflict from its outset have been inconclusive, and the status of the region remains at an impasse.
Considering that Saharawi is not an independent nation, one wonders on what platform a sitting Nigerian president will receive Letter of Credence from them.
Also of more ironic significance is the fact that President Buhari, who is an avowed detractor of Biafran independence, will be encouraging seccession in another country.
It could be recalled that Buhari has, on previous occasion hosted envoys of Saharawi in the State House, Abuja.
Also presenting Letter of Credence to President Buhari at Abuja State House was the South Sudan Ambassador to Nigeria, H.E Mr Paul Akaro.
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