Nigerian Govt reacts to assault on diplomat by Indonesian officials

By Biola Adebayo On Aug 10, 2021

A screenshot taken on August 9, 2021, shows the Nigerian diplomat being assaulted by immigration officials in Indonesia in a moving vehicle.

The Federal Government on Monday expressed dissatisfaction over the maltreatment of an officer of the Nigeria High Commission and Consulate in Indonesia, by the Indonesian police.

The victim, whose name was not mentioned, was manhandled and arrested by immigration officials on Saturday in front of his official quarters in the country.

A viral video of the event shows at least three men in a vehicle assaulting the official, ignoring his screams of pain.

While two of the men held his hands and pinned him down in the backseat, another freely assaulted his unprotected head as he cried out in pain.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement said that the arrest and manhandling of the diplomatic official was against international law and the Vienna Conventions governing Diplomatic and Consular Relations between states.

‘’The Nigerian government said it had written to the government of Indonesia over the ill-treatment meted out to its Diplomatic Agent in the country,’’ said the statement.

It said the federal government had summoned the Ambassador of Indonesia to Nigeria who had also tendered an unreserved apology on behalf of the government of Indonesia over the bad treatment of the Nigerian national.

According to the statement “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is in receipt of a report and has seen a video in circulation regarding an unacceptable incident in Jakarta, Indonesia, concerning the manhandling and arrest of a Nigerian Diplomatic Agent in front of his official quarters on August 7, 2021.

“This unfortunate incident is against international law and the Vienna Conventions governing Diplomatic and Consular Relations between states. The Nigerian Government has complained strongly to the Government of Indonesia, and the Ambassador of Indonesia to Nigeria was summoned by the Nigerian Minister of Foreign Affairs.

“The Ambassador explained what he understood happened and apologised unreservedly on behalf of the Government of Indonesia, The Nigerian Government has sent an official protest to the Government of Indonesia.

“The Ambassador of Nigeria to Indonesia has confirmed that the immigration officials involved had since come to the Nigerian Embassy to apologise to the Ambassador and the diplomat concerned.”

It was gathered that the Nigerian official had been to a supermarket to shop on Saturday, August 7, 2021, when the Indonesian policemen descended on him.