•The Federal Government should investigate allegations that Nigerians in Chinese jails are usually extra-judicially murdered and that their organs may be used for experiments
A CIVIL society group, Patriotic Citizen Initiatives, has once again brought to the fore the plight of Nigerians living abroad. In many countries, they are treated like unwanted residents. A time there was when in almost all major countries, Nigerians were singled out for poor immigration protocols at the airports. It was a case of being regarded as guilty until innocence was proven.
As the group pointed out in Lagos last week, Nigerians living in China have cried out about the mysterious disappearance of their compatriots serving terms in Chinese jails. They allege that some are routinely taken out and summarily executed with a view to harvesting their organs for scientific research. This should jolt the Federal Government to action. The group claimed that many of those in the prisons were there for minor immigration offences, while others were framed up, but unable to secure their release owing to poor legal representation.
We find it difficult to understand why the Nigerian embassy in the Far East country has been silent in the face of such grave allegations. The only reason Nigeria has foreign missions is to protect their interests. No one would dispute the right of the host country to enforce its laws, however, it is unacceptable that Nigerians anywhere are subjected to inhuman treatment.
Summary or unfair trial or execution should be of concern to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. As the civil society group said, an inter-ministerial agency should be set up immediately to investigate the allegations. The agency should comprise officials of the foreign ministry, the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and the Diaspora, as well as the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation. The civil society as well as Nigerians in the Diaspora should also be represented.
The only reason government exists is to protect the interest of citizens anywhere in the world. Nigerians pursuing legitimate activities deserve the support of the Federal Government, and, even where they are known to have committed infraction of the laws of their host countries, they should be availed fair trial. If the allegation that some had been secretly executed is true, the Chinese government should be held to account and those remaining there should be brought home to serve their terms.
The allegation is not unfamiliar. In Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia, similar experiences have been reported. And, in South Africa, Nigerians have recently been reported to face savage attacks from South Africans for no just cause. The more the Federal Government fails to strongly support our compatriots abroad, the more they are likely to be subjected to such unsavoury treatment. It is inconceivable that, while we throw open our borders to all, present decent and friendly disposition to all up to the point of encouraging very liberal participation in the Nigerian economic environment, such good nature is reciprocated with evil.
Nigeria has been playing positive roles in the comity of nations. Since independence, we have never failed to contribute to United Nations, African Union and ECOWAS Peace-Keeping missions in different parts of the world. In the West Africa sub-region, such missions, as was the case in Liberia were largely sponsored by Nigeria. During the apartheid struggle, Nigeria was counted as a frontline state on account of her contribution to the move to push the minority white out of power. It is high time the Federal Government began to defend its interests.
It should undertake urgently an audit of activities of the country’s foreign missions and their personnel. Where the officials are found to have failed in the discharge of their duties, they should be replaced with people who should be made to realise that the change mantra is real and applies not only on the domestic plane, but everywhere there are Nigerians and Nigerian interests.