Ladies and gentlemen, who says that action, no matter how little do not yield results. Check out the Guardian and Thisday articles below. I doff my cap to all villagers, and other Nigerians who started this ball rolling.
Govt threatens reprisal over maltreatment of Nigerians abroad
From John-Abba Ogbodo, Abuja
WORRIED by the harassment being suffered by Nigerians in foreign lands, the Federal Government has lodged a formal protest with the European Union (EU), the United Nations (UN) and other international organisations.
Nigeria is also considering reprisal actions against the countries involved.
This is coming as the government plans to send a delegation to Spain next week to monitor ongoing investigation into the death of a Nigerian, Osamuyi Akpintanyi, in the hands of that country's security operatives.
The permanent secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Hakeem Baba Ahmed disclosed this yesterday when he appeared before the ad-hoc committee of the House of Representatives probing the killing of the Edo State-born Nigerian. He noted that the harassment of Nigerians by foreign countries, especially the United Kingdom (UK), had reached an unacceptable level. He disclosed that the Federal Government had to recently protest to the EU and other international organisations that the situation must be reversed.
The permanent secretary who also narrated his ordeal in the hands of security operatives in the UK recently despite the face that he was there on invitation of the British government. He said that a situation where security operatives harass Nigerians at entry points was unacceptable. Ahmed said in most cases, it was only Nigerians that were being subjected to such inhuman treatment. He also deplored the use of dogs to screen Nigerians, both male and female abroad, adding that besides the indignity, such an action has cultural and religious implications. Ahmed insisted that Nigerians must be treated with dignity.
"Dignity of Nigerians must be given the highest priority. We have protested the harassment to the EU and other international organisations. We have decided that we are going to take up the issue with all seriousness it deserves", he said.
Ahmed continued: "Why should it be only Nigerians? You send dogs to us in the name of screening, they scare our children and do all sorts of things to our women. As a Moslem, if a dog touches me, I will have to wash my body before I can pray. We are insisting that they must find a civilized way of doing it instead of this humiliation. The issue is before us and we are dealing with it seriously."
The official further said that following the death of Akpitanyi, the Federal Government sent words to all its missions abroad directing them to be more concerned about the welfare of Nigerians in Diaspora. He said that henceforth, any Nigerian envoy who treats complaints from Nigerians in his country of assignment with levity would face disciplinary action. "If a Nigerian says he or she is in trouble and the Ambassador or the High Commissioner refuses to attend to the person, he or she will be queried immediately." he said.
Ahmed disclosed that because of the priority the Federal Government was giving to the death of Akpitanyi, he would lead a delegation to Spain next week to monitor the investigation which the authorities of that country were conducting into the case. He assured that the government would stop at nothing to get to the root of the matter and ensure that justice was done. He also briefed the committee on the steps that had been taken by the government so far to redress the situation.
The permanent secretary said that the Foreign Affairs Ministry went to the extent of waiving certain diplomatic processes and made the Spanish Ambassador, Angel Losada, to address a press conference on the matter. He said due to the public outcry over the incident, the Spanish authorities had expedited action on the investigation and assured that in a matter of days, the Federal Government would come up with a statement on the first leg of the investigation.
He said: "We will ensure that justice is done. The Spanish authorities have set up police investigation as well as autopsy. We are carrying out investigation to ascertain whether there was complicity on the part of the Spanish officials. Because of the public outcry, the Spanish authorities have expedited action to complete the autopsy".
Ahmed continued: "We summoned the Spanish Ambassador and made him to appear before camera. We acknowledge that the Spanish authorities are also sad about the development. There can't be justification for the death but we ask for patience and no judgment should be passed until after the investigation."
"Our outgoing envoy in that country went and saw the king who assued that every effort would be made to get to the root of the matter. There will be no cover up and we will ensure that justice is done. We are in constant touch with the Spanish authorities. The reaction of the National Assembly has been conveyed to them. Nigerians will soon get to hear from us".
The permanent secretary said that if the foreign affairs ministry is not satisfied with the outcome of the autopsy, an independent medical probe would be conducted. He also explained that the body of the deceased was not flown to Nigeria because of the law on international flight and therefore, had to be deposited in a mortuary in Spain . He added that if the body had been flown to the country, the reaction of Nigerians would have been uncontrollable but gave assurance that on completion of the investigations, the body would be released to the parents.
He suggested that a member of the family should go with them to Spain next week to follow the development over there. Ahmed told the committee that information available to the ministry indicated that the deceased had resisted deportation twice before and that informed the use of physical restraint which led to his death. He, however, noted that it was not enough reason for the manhandling of the Nigerian which led to the death. He expressed displeasure over the huge number of Nigerians leaving for abroad illegally and urged the citizens to do something about it.
Ahmed lamented the inhuman conditions under which such Nigerians in foreign lands, citing Italy where he said about 22 Nigerian commercial sex workers live in a room.
He also disclosed that members of the National Assembly in the last dispensation had refused to return their diplomatic passports despite several appeals by the Foreign Affairs Ministry and decried abuse of the facility by Nigerians. "We have written to the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives that old members should return their diplomatic passports but not even one has responded," he said.
He attributed the harassment to the attitude of Nigerians abroad and disclosed that necessary steps were already being taken to address the issue.
FG Sends Delegation to Spain over Death of Nigerian
07.13.2007
The Federal Government is sending a delegation to Spain next week to find out the mystery surrounding the death of Mr Osamuyi Akpitanhi. Spanish security operatives allegedly killed the deceased.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, disclosed this yesterday in Abuja while testifying before an investigative panel of inquiry set up by the House of Representatives to unravel the alleged murder.
Baba-Ahmed, who is billed to lead the delegation, said the visit was to further pressurise the Spanish government to expedite action on its investigation.
He said the ministry had been in close contact with the Spanish government on the matter, saying the Ambassador of Spain in Nigeria had been invited to give explanation.
The Permanent Secretary also said that the outgoing Nigerian Ambassador to Spain had lodged a protest on behalf of the Federal Government to the King of Spain on the matter, saying, “ that was the highest level of diplomatic protest''.
He appealed for calm and patience as the authorities in Spain had set up a panel to investigate the matter as well as carry out an independent autopsy on the body of the deceased.Baba-Ahmed said that the corpse was being held in Spain to enable the authorities complete all their investigation, as they had assured them that nobody would be spared, if found guilty.
He confirmed that there were many Nigerians living illegally in Spain and other parts of Europe, adding that two other deportees with the deceased were still being held by the Spanish authorities.
``Let me assure you that we are dealing with inhuman treatment meted out to Nigerians by their host countries, as we are impressing on them to respect international protocols entered into,'' he added.
Also testifying, a Nigerian aboard the Iberia Airline on June 9, when Akpitanhi was killed, Lanre Obafemi, said he died in the plane one and half hours into their flight to Nigeria as all efforts to revive him proved abortive due to lack of any medical personnel
on board.
He equally affirmed the inhuman treatment meted out to the deceased and two other Nigerian deportees held by Spanish security personnel, alleging that the late Nigerian might have been injected with tranquilizer, following his alleged refusal to
be arrested.
The testimony of Obafemi was corroborated by a journalist, Mr Ahaoma Kalu, who, along with others, mobilised worldwide protest via mail groups on Internet on June 29, and caused the story to be published as well as locate the family house of the
deceased in Edo.The Chairman of the Committee, Rep. Henry Dickson, assured that members would do its best to get
to the root of the controversial death of Akpitanhi.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the family of the slain Nigerian, Nigeria Human Rights Commission and the Nigerian Immigration Service had testified before the committee on Wednesday.
The Spanish Ambassador to Nigeria is expected to appear on Friday.
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Posted by Robot| 13.07.2007 08:26