The Nigerian government has recalled its Ambassador to Indonesia over the assault of a Nigerian diplomat by immigration officials in the country.
Some Indonesian officials had tortured a Nigerian diplomat identified as Ibrahim on Saturday, an action captured in a now viral video.
Foreign Affairs Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama who announced the decision on Tuesday, also said the Nigerian government is reviewing its diplomatic relations with Indonesia.
Onyema had summoned the Indonesian Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr Usra Harahap, to express the displeasure over the development.
Apology tendered
The Indonesian envoy reportedly tendered an apology over the incident and assured Nigeria that authorities in his country would take steps to address the issue.
However, Onyeama, while briefing Journalists in Abuja, said ”the Nigerian Ambassador to Indonesia, Usman Ogah, is set to return home over the issue.”
According to him, ”when the ministry saw the assault video, it immediately contacted the Ambassador in Indonesia, who gave a verbal account of what transpired.”
Comprehensive report needed
He explained that ”the ministry immediately requested that the ambassador submit to the ministry, a full and comprehensive report of what happened and to immediately reach the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia to lodge a formal and a strong complaint against the actions of the immigration officers.”
“Yesterday (Monday), we summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ambassador of Indonesia to Nigeria and again, complained in the strongest terms regarding what had taken place as totally unacceptable under any circumstances whatsoever,” the Ambassador stated.
“He, of course, communicated the report that he had received from his capital as to what had transpired. And later 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 was absolutely no justification whatsoever for this treatment for this kind of behaviour against not only to a diplomat, a Nigerian diplomat, but even if it had taken place against any Nigerian citizen, was totally unacceptable.
“So, what we have decided to do is to recall for consultations immediately, our Nigerian Ambassador in Jakarta, in Indonesia and we will have full consultations at the highest level and decide what next step to take, including a review, of course, of our relations with Indonesia,” Onyeama said.
Request for sanction
The Nigerian government also requested that the Indonesian government take severe and appropriate sanction against the immigration officials that were involved in the act of “brazen criminality”.
The Ministry promised that all the necessary steps would be taken to rigorously and robustly defend the interest of Nigeria and Nigerians anywhere in the world.
The Nigerian diplomat was manhandled and arrested by the Indonesian immigration officials on Saturday who were on patrol in front of his official quarters in that country.
It had been alleged that a Nigerian diplomat was arrested for his failure to present his identity to the Indonesian immigration official while on patrol.
NP/Mercy Chukwudiebere
