Revealed: Iran recalls ambassador to avoid ‘big row’ with Nigeria over Shiite; the Russian connection

To avoid ‘a big row’ with Nigeria, the Islamic Republic of Iran has recalled its ambassador in Nigeria, Saheed Kozechi, Freedom Online has learned.
“The big row borders on Kozechi’s interference in the way soldiers descended on Shiite Muslim sect in Zaria, Kaduna State last year.
“His direct interference has become a source of embarrassment between the two countries, leading to a situation in which they may sever relationship. In fact, the reception accorded Kozechi on Wednesday in Abuja by President Muhammadu Buhari was a face-saving strategy to tell the public that all is well”, said a source.
Kozechi was recalled, said the source, “to douse tension and avoid a potentially-embarrassing situation over his unguarded utterances, which went as far as threatening Nigeria and the Federal Government”.
It was learned that Nigeria’s intelligence community fingered Kozechi in the clandestine funding and instigation of the Shiite sect in Nigeria “against constituted authority”, a situation that should have earned him outright expulsion but for the intervention of Russia.
“Kozechi was quickly recalled by his government to avoid litigation filed against Iran and the ambassador in Nigeria and other international fora from ECOWAS Court to ICC.
“After much pleading, he (Kozechi) was able to get influential Nigerians to ensure he was still able to say his official farewell at the Presidential Villa because you realise that from the way he carried on about the Nigerian state, he should not have been accorded such courtesy.”
His removal was brought about by the doggedness of some civil society groups that took Kozechi to task over his vituperative utterances and stoking the embers of religious extremism which they argued could lead to another round of terrorism by the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, a branch of Shiite Sect in Nigeria which for long was accused of militarising its followers to the point of attempting to assassinate the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Tukur Yusuf Buratai, late last year.
The ambassador’s removal might also not be unconnected to likely indictment and recommendations of the National Human Rights Commission and the Kaduna State Judicial Commission of Inquiry which would soon make their findings public.