Federal
Government has demanded an unreserved apology from the Indian
authorities over the death of a Nigerian, Obodo Uzoma Simeon, and
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.
PUNCH
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