The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) has condemned the arrest of 42 Nigerian citizens in Mozambique.
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NiDCOM, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, said the 42 Nigerians were arrested in Mozambique without any offence levelled against them.
In a statement on Sunday signed by Abdur-Rahman Balogun, the NiDCOM boss said that it is “distasteful to learn that only Nigerians were allegedly handpicked for arrest.”
She said that if the arrested person had violated the law, the authorities should present them before a court of law and formally charge them, rather than detaining them without due process.
“If they run afoul of the law, the authorities should arraign and charge them before a court of law,” she said.
She stated that the sudden and specific roundup of only Nigerians depicts a xenophobic attack on Nigerian citizens.
Ms Dabiri-Erewa therefore urged the Mozambican authorities to immediately release the arrested Nigerians or let the law take its course.
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The statement said that the Nigerians were specifically singled out and arrested at a spare parts market, out of all the traders and individuals present in the market, without any allegations or explanations on why they were detained.
“The Nigerians arrested have been confirmed to be legal residents, and the Attorney General is reportedly not aware of any charges against them.
“They were allegedly beaten, their personal belongings stolen, and many of them are said to have fallen sick and in need of medical attention,” the statement said.
The NiDCOM is a government agency in Nigeria responsible for engaging with Nigerians living abroad. The agency facilitates policies and initiatives that enable diaspora Nigerians to contribute to the country’s economic, social, and political development.
