President Bola Tinubu and members of his family face no restrictions on their movement in the United States ahead of the 81st United Nations General Assembly, Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Jimoh Ibrahim, has said.

Ibrahim, who also chairs the UN Committee on Budget and Administration, said the Nigerian Mission in New York had received no notification from the US government imposing any restriction on Tinubu’s movement during the UNGA.

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He made the clarification in a statement issued on Sunday by the Office of Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York.

According to Ibrahim, Section 11 of the 1947 UN-US Agreement provides protections for representatives of UN member states and their families travelling to and from the UN headquarters district.

He explained that the provision requires US federal, state and local authorities to refrain from imposing restrictions that would impede the transit of representatives of member states, their families, UN officials, specialised agencies and persons invited to the UN headquarters district on official business.

Ibrahim’s comments come amid an ongoing legal dispute in the United States concerning access to records relating to Tinubu.

The Presidency had previously dismissed suggestions that the case amounted to a criminal proceeding against the President, describing the matter as a civil Freedom of Information Act lawsuit involving requests for government records.

The case was initiated by American transparency activist Aaron Greenspan, who filed FOIA requests in 2022 seeking records from several US government agencies.

He subsequently commenced Civil Action No. 23-1816 in 2023, with Tinubu later allowed to participate in the proceedings as an intervenor.

The Allied People’s Movement has also called on US authorities to release findings from an FBI investigation concerning alleged drug-trafficking links involving Tinubu.

Ibrahim, however, cautioned against treating allegations as established criminal offences.

“An allegation is not a crime,” he said, stressing that criminal accusations must be determined through due process and proved beyond reasonable doubt before conviction.

The ambassador recalled that a former Nigerian president, whom he stressed was not Tinubu, had once been restricted to a 10-kilometre radius from the UN headquarters over a drug-related allegation.

He said the allegation was ultimately never proved.

Ibrahim further dismissed social media efforts aimed at portraying Tinubu as facing imminent arrest in the US, describing such attempts as futile.

Tinubu is expected to attend the 81st UN General Assembly in New York, where he is scheduled to address world leaders.

Ibrahim noted, however, that attendance at the annual gathering ultimately depends on national priorities, pointing out that more than 60 per cent of the current speaking list comprises vice presidents and foreign ministers representing their respective countries.

He said presidents could therefore delegate representation where necessary.

The envoy also explained that US law-enforcement authorities could invite individuals to provide information or statements during investigations and collect identifying information, including family history, educational records and fingerprints.

According to Ibrahim, such information can help investigators establish links between individuals, groups and networks, while remaining protected and not necessarily made public during investigations involving financial or other criminal offences.

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He urged Nigerians to continue to uphold the national flag and support what he described as the economic transformation agenda being pursued by the Tinubu administration.