Mary Onyia with NAN report
Foreign minister Geoffrey Onyeama has summoned the Indonesian ambassador to Nigeria over an assault on a Nigerian diplomatic agent in Jakarta.
Mr Onyeama, in a statement in Abuja, said the “unfortunate incident” was against international law and the Vienna Conventions governing diplomatic and consular relations between states.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is in receipt of a report and has seen a video in circulation regarding an unacceptable incident in Jakarta, Indonesia,” explained Mr Onyeama. “Concerning the manhandling and arrest of a Nigerian diplomatic agent in front of his official quarters on August 7, 2021.”
The minister disclosed that the federal government complained “strongly” to Indonesia and that the Indonesian ambassador to Nigeria “was summoned.”
“The ambassador explained what he understood happened and apologised unreservedly on behalf of the government of Indonesia,” the statement added. “The Nigerian government has sent an official protest to the government of Indonesia.”
The statement further noted that the Nigerian ambassador to Indonesia confirmed that the immigration officials involved had since come to the Nigerian embassy to apologise to the ambassador and “the diplomat concerned.”
Earlier, a video of one Ibrahim Mohammad, a Nigerian diplomat being pinned down in a moving vehicle by three Indonesian officials, while he cried “I can’t breathe”, “My neck”, had gone viral invoking the anger of many Nigerians as well as all who watched it.
The Nigerian Government immediately reacted through its foreign affairs ministry, strongly condemning the action of the Indonesian immigration officers.
The foreign affairs minister, Geoffery Onyeama swiftly registered his displeasure and demanded an apology from the Indonesian government while summoning the Indonesian ambassador to Nigeria.
The Indonesian envoy is expected to meet with Mr Onyeama later in the day.
(NAN)