- To Review Relations With Country In Retaliation…
- Diplomatic Row Brews As Reps Threaten To Declare Indonesian Envoys In Nigeria Persona Non Grata
Nigeria has recalled its Ambassador to Indonesia, A.U. Ogah to step up its protest against the manhandling of its Diplomat by Indonesian immigration officials in Capital, Jakarta.
This was disclosed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Geoffrey Onyeama at a Press Conference in Abuja, Tuesday.
Onyeama, who disclosed that Nigeria recalled the Ambassador for high-level consultation on the aggressive behaviour and the retaliatory measures to be taken, said the country will urgently review its relations with the Asian country following the assault meted out against the Nigerian Diplomat — a Consular Officer at the Embassy of Nigeria in Jakarta.
The New Diplomat had earlier reported that the Nigeria’s Foreign Ministry had on Monday issued a statement to protest the horrific action, summoning the Indonesian Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Usra Hendra Harahap, for explanation. But Onyeama told journalists that this latest measure became necessary after getting a comprehensive briefing from the Ambassador of Nigeria to Indonesia on Monday evening.
The Nigerian Diplomat was assaulted inside a car by three immigration officials on Saturday, 7th August, 2021, in front of his official quarters in Jakarta, suffering excruciating pains in the hands of his tormentors as seen in a chilling video.
Onyeama said Nigeria has now called for severe sanctions against the three Indonesian immigration officials responsible for the barbaric action, not minding an earlier apology said to have been tendered by the officials involved and the Indonesian Mission in Abuja.
“There is no justification for the treatment to a diplomat and even to a Nigerian citizen,” The Minister of Foreign Affairs said.
In Onyeama’s words: “Yesterday in the evening, we received a full and comprehensive report from the Nigerian ambassador in Indonesia, which we have studied and reinforces our previous position that there’s absolutely no justification whatsoever for this treatment for this kind of behavior against not only a Nigerian diplomat, even if it had taken place against any Nigerian citizen, it was totally unacceptable. And so what we’ve decided to do is to call for consultations immediately with our Nigerian ambassador in Jakarta in Indonesia.
“We will have full consultations at the highest levels, and, decide what next steps to take, including a review of course of our relations with Indonesia. We have also requested the Indonesian government to take severe and appropriate sanctions against the immigration officials that were involved in this act of brazen criminality. So, this is what I wanted to share with you and to show you and through you the Nigerian public that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is taking all the necessary steps and strong steps. And to tell the Nigerian people that we will rigorously, robustly defend the interests of Nigeria and Nigerians anywhere in the world.”
The New Diplomat had also reported that the House of Representatives had condemned Indonesian government over the violent behaviour, describing it as a violation of international law and the Vienna conventions governing Diplomatic and Consular Relations between states.
In a statement, Chairman, House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Rt. Hon. Yusuf Buba Yakub threatened to invoke the Article 9 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations which will declare everyone at the Indonesian Embassy in Abuja a persona non grata if the Indonesian government fails to give a candid explanation on the manhandling of the Nigerian diplomat and address the injustice.
Yakub insisted that the House of Representatives will leave no stone unturned in its bid to safeguard the interests of Nigerian Foreign Service Officers anywhere in the world.
The statement added that “Again, for us as a responsible Parliament, one that is responsive to the yearnings and security of those that we represent, this scene of humiliation from Indonesia is totally unacceptable, reprehensive, barbaric, inhumane, wicked and offensive to the intendment of Article 37 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, which, unequivocally, states thus: ‘Diplomatic privileges and immunities guarantee that diplomatic agents (such as Nigeria’s Mr. Ibrahim in Indonesia) or even their immediate family: *May not be arrested or detained *May not have their residences entered and searched May not be subpoenaed as witnesses *May not be prosecuted but alas, in this instance the entirety of this Article has suffered a gross breach. All men and women of goodwill must stand up to condemn it for what it is and for what it portends for the future of Diplomacy across the globe.”
