FG, India In Diplomatic Row Over Nigerian’s Death

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Professor Viola
Onwuliri
Federal Government has demanded an
unreserved apology from the Indian
authorities over the death of a Nigerian,
Obodo Uzoma Simeon, agnd discriminatory
attacks on Nigerians in the Asian nation.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prof. Viola
Onwuliri, disclosed this while answering
questions from journalists at the pre-
Commonwealth Head of Government
Meeting press briefing in Abuja, Monday.
Tensions between Nigerians and Indians
had escalated since Simeon was found
dead in Goa, a popular tourist destination,
in the country’s west region.
Simeon, according to reports, was stabbed
to death on October 31 in Panaji, Goa
State’s capital.
About 200 angry members of the Nigerian
community were said to have blocked a
highway while Simeon’s corpse was being
taken to the hospital for a post-mortem
examination.
Police reportedly brought the situation
under control and registered cases of
rioting, arson and damaging public
property against 51 Nigerians and one
Ghanaian.
Onwuliri, who emphasised that Nigeria
would not tolerate any act of unruly
behaviour from its citizens, however, said
the conduct of Indian authorities was
unacceptable.
She told journalists that the Acting Head of
Mission of India in Nigeria had been
summoned to her office to explain the
rationale for the action.
She said, “Actually the growing violence
around the countries should be a thing of
worry for member states and for us in
Nigeria too. We have continued to condemn
violence especially against Nigerians in
different states. The recent one in India is
really a big one to worry about and I had
summoned the acting head of Indian
Mission to ask him about what happened to
our citizens.
“The young man was coming back from
lunch, they said there was a clash between
two communities, he was not part of them
but he was killed! We have also asked for
unreserved apology from India, we have
asked them to ensure that full-fledged
investigations are carried out so that
perpetrators of that act will be brought to
book,” she added.
The minister said the Nigerian government
would not hesitate to react appropriately if
Nigerians were evicted from their homes in
India.
“We have also heard that some of our
citizens protested and were arrested and
some were evicted from their homes. And
we have also said while we are not
supporting lawlessness, if Nigerians
reacted because of extreme provocation, it
should be so seen. And these Nigerians
should be released and people should not
be evicted from their homes, otherwise,
that will also lead to a strain in the
relations between the two countries and we
will be forced to also react appropriately,”
she maintained.
Onwuliri said Nigeria was determined to
press on with the call for the abolition of
visa regime among Commonwealth
countries at this year’s meeting starting on
Wednesday (tomorrow) in Colombo,
Srilanka.
The country’s interim position is for the
introduction of a pilot scheme which will
facilitate visa free regime for holders of
diplomatic and official passports from
member countries.
Copyright PUNCH. http://
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diplomatic-row-over-nigerians-death/

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