11th August, 2021
By Kazeem Ugbodaga
Former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode has called on the Federal Government to reciprocate the brutalisation of a staff of the Nigerian High Commission in Indonesia.
A viral video showed Indonesian immigration officials manhandling a Nigerian diplomat.
Responding to this, Fani-Kayode condemned the act, saying the Nigerian government must reciprocate.
“A staff of the Nigerian High Commission in Indonesia is brutalised by the Indonesian authorities. This is unacceptable and I wholeheartedly condemn it.
“Have we no national pride, self-respect and dignity anymore? Even the Indonesians have taken us for granted. Try this with a western diplomat and all hell will break loose.
“I call for a strong and robust reciprocal response from the FG to this outrageous, despicable and disgraceful conduct.
“The Indonesian Ambassador in Nigeria ought to be summoned by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and warned. Our country may not be perfect but it is still our country.
“No Nigerian deserves to be brutalised in this manner by foreigners anywhere in the world. I weep for my country.”
Reacting to the ugly development, Geoffrey Onyema, Minister of Foreign Affairs, summoned the Indonesian Ambassador to Nigeria, Usra Hendra Harahap.
In a statement, Nigeria’s foreign affairs ministry said the Indonesia envoy confirmed that the incident happened in his country and he tendered an apology.