The Federal Government has condemned the arrest of 42 Nigerian citizens in Mozambique and has called for their immediate release.
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, described the incident as unacceptable. She expressed concern that the Nigerians were reportedly detained without any formal charges.
This position was contained in a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja. The statement was signed by the Commission’s Director of Media, Public Relations and Protocols, Abdur-Rahman Balogun.
Dabiri-Erewa said reports indicated that the operation targeted Nigerians specifically.
“It was disturbing that only Nigerians were reportedly singled out during the operation”.
She also criticised the manner in which the arrests were carried out. According to her, authorities should have followed proper legal procedures if any of the individuals had committed an offence.
She said, “if any of the individuals had violated Mozambican laws, the appropriate step would be to arraign them before a court of competent jurisdiction rather than detain them without explanation”.
The NiDCOM boss warned that the selective arrest of Nigerian nationals could suggest xenophobic treatment.
She urged Mozambican authorities to either free the detained Nigerians without delay or file formal charges against them and take the matter to court.
“According to reports, the Nigerians were allegedly picked up at a spare parts market, where they were singled out among other traders and individuals present at the location without any clear allegations or explanations for their arrest,” the statement noted.
NiDCOM also stated that the detained individuals are lawful residents of Mozambique. The Commission said it gathered that the country’s Attorney General has no knowledge of any charges filed against them.
The Commission further alleged that some of the Nigerians were assaulted during the arrest.
“Some of the detained Nigerians were beaten, had their personal belongings confiscated, and several of them are currently ill and in need of medical attention,” the Commission alleged.
NiDCOM called on authorities in Mozambique to ensure that Nigerians living abroad are treated fairly and that their fundamental rights are respected.
