“Until the Nigeria government and its political elites chose to address their deficiencies in obeying simple rule of law and respect to its own laws and regard to its citizens at home, they will continue to receive shameful treatment and disrespect anywhere in the world
An Indonesian envoy has told Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Minister Mr. Geoffrey Onyeama, that Abdulrahman Ibrahim, the Nigerian diplomat who was almost strangled to death in Jakarta last week, was unruly and elbowed one of them. They also add that Ibrahim caused the lips of one of them to bleed.
The unruly behaviour of the Nigeria diplomat in Jarkarta earned him the infamous reputation of a product of a lawless system that has characterised the Nigerian big man mentality that flouts all home made laws as long as he falls within the circle of favour or either ‘connected’ to somebody in government, the ruling party or just the money bag Nigerian big man syndrome.
The Indonesian officials in a statement issued to the Nigeria Minister of Foreign Affairs said; “the Nigerian diplomat was the aggressor.”
According to the Indonesian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Dr. Usra Harahap, the immigration officers from South Jakarta Immigration Office were carrying out surveillance on foreigners when they asked Ibrahim for identification. However, Ibrahim refused to identify himself or tender his passport, Harahap says.
“By that time, they met with Mr. Ibrahim, and politely requested him to show his travel document. He answered that his passport was in his room. “Then the officer asked again, ‘Can we see your travel document to check the residence permit and if there are no problems with the document, so you may continue your activities.
“Mr. Ibrahim was not willing to show his passport and said to the officer, ‘you will know who really, I am and be careful on that. “Instead of showing his identity card, Mr. Ibrahim was angry and said, ‘Just arrest me and you will regret to know who really I am.’
“The officer said, ‘We will not detain you further sir, if you can show us your identity card.’ Then Mr. Ibrahim said, ‘Where is your car, I’ll come to your office.’
“On the way to the immigration office in South Jakarta, several incidents happened. Mr. Ibrahim elbowed the immigration officer, Mr. Laode Hauzan Baidi, who was sitting next to him until Mr. Laode’s lip was bleeding. “This led to other officers restraining him from attacking another officer during the trip,” the envoy adds.
Mr, Ibrahim had struggled to whip up sentiments on the “I can’t breathe,” “My neck hurts” cry only to bring more trouble upon himself and the two countries as Nigeria withdraws its ambassador from Jarkata in a situation that has sparked widespread outrage and condemnation in Nigeria, on the continuous dehumanization of Nigerians at all fronts both in Africa and in Asia, In 2019 Nigeria was in the news for another sad diplomatic row with South Africa when it recalled its Ambassador to South Africa, Mr. Kabiru Bala, and also pulled out of the World Economic Summit holding in Cape Town in that year due to the loss of life and property of Nigerians affected by xenophobic attack in South Africa.
“Nigeria made series of threats whereas the situation never abated as Nigerian business men resident in Ghana continue to battle indiscriminate and harsh treatment especially on trade policies targeted at many Nigerians
In 2020, Nigeria next door neigbour took the country to the garbage resulting in another diplomatic row when it brazenly demolishes the residential facilities under construction at the Nigerian High Commission premises in Ghana. As usual, Nigeria made series of threats whereas the situation never abated as Nigerian business men resident in Ghana continue to battle indiscriminate and harsh treatment especially on trade policies targeted at many Nigerians legally doing business in Ghana perhaps it would frustrate and discourage them to leave Ghana.
These incidents have become a common feature and agelong treatments of Nigerians even in the Peoples Republic of China where Nigeria has faced many discriminatory immigration policies that has remained unreciprocated. For instance. China’s borders have been on temporary closure for visitors from Nigeria and others citing Covid19 prevention measures since April 2020, whereas hundreds of Chinese business men and women continue to pour into Nigeria sometimes unchecked till tomorrow giving the Chinese an upper hand to put Nigeria at the rung of every unhealthy immigration status at any time. This is a skewed act of diplomatic reciprocity and it continue to expose Nigeria as a country that has no regard for itself nor respect to its reputation.
Until the Nigeria government and its political elites chose to address their deficiencies in obeying simple rule of law and respect to its own laws and regard to its citizens at home, they will continue to receive shameful treatment and disrespect anywhere in the world as nobody respect an unruly fellow whether he is diplomat or the president’s family members.
