The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed the death of Ambassador Mohammed Mahmud Lele. They said his death is a huge loss for Nigeria’s diplomatic community.
Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, the ministry’s spokesperson, said in a statement on Wednesday that the senior diplomat died in Ankara, Türkiye, in the early hours of April 19, 2026, after a protracted illness.
Ambassador Lele was the Director in charge of the Middle East and Gulf Division at the ministry until he died. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had also just named him Ambassador-Designate to Algeria, and the Nigerian Senate had confirmed him.
The late diplomat was born in 1976 in the Gamawa Local Government Area of Bauchi State. He graduated from Bayero University Kano with a degree in Economics and joined the Nigerian Foreign Service in 2001.
He worked for Nigeria at various overseas missions, including Berlin in Germany, Lomé in Togo, and Riyadh in Saudi Arabia. He was known for being competent, hard-working, and dedicated to furthering Nigeria’s foreign policy goals.
Ambassador Dunoma Umar Ahmed, the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, received his body at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja. He said that the officer was industrious and humble, and that his services would be dearly missed.
On April 22, 2026, Ambassador Lele was buried in Kano State according to Islamic customs.
The ministry sent its condolences to his family, friends, and the government and people of Bauchi State. They prayed for his soul to rest and for those he left behind to remain strong.
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