Guinea-Bissau has apologised to Nigeria over the killing of
three of her citizens by a mob in Bissau.
TVC NEWS State
House Correspondent reports that the apology was made shortly after Nigeria
protested the Tuesday incident to the Guinea-Bissau authorities.
Meanwhile,
President Goodluck Jonathan had during Wednesday’s Federal Executive Council
meeting directed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to order the Nigerian
Ambassador in Guinea- Bissau to take up the matter with the authorities of that
country.
The Minister of
Foreign Affairs, Prof. Viola Onwuliri, was quoted by our correspondent as
saying that her Guinea-Bissau counterpart, personally visited the Nigerian
embassy in Bissau where she tendered the apology.
The Agence France
Presse had reported that the three Nigerians were killed after the
disappearance of a young boy on Tuesday morning in Bissau.
Onwuliri said, “The
report we have is that aggrieved citizens attacked the Nigerian embassy with
clubs, stones and other dangerous objects. We have protested to the government
of Guinea-Bissau. Their (Guinea-Bissau) government has apologised.
“We have also asked
for full scale investigation so that the perpetrators will be brought to book.
“Their foreign
minister has visited our embassy to apologise. We believe the investigation
will reveal the identity of the perpetrators and their motives. We have sent a
strong message and I believe they will take it very strongly.”
She added that some
suspects who are not Nigerians had been arrested in connection with the
kidnapping.
The minister said,
“They have arrested some suspects and they are not Nigerians. We feel sad that
some of our nationals were killed in the imbroglio.”
Onwuliri, who
prayed for the repose of the souls of the victims and commiserated with their
families, advised Nigerians “ to steer clear of problem areas wherever they are
in foreign lands.”
“We feel sad
because this shouldn’t be happening between African countries. This is a
country (Guinea-Bissau) we have been helping to find its feet. I know the
government of Guinea-Bissau is saddened by the development,” she added.
The minister said
since full-scale investigation into the incident had already commenced, the
remains of the victims would not be brought to Nigeria now.
She also said the
embassy had started taking stock of its destroyed property.
Earlier on
Wednesday, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr.
Reuben Abati, had told State House correspondents that the “unfortunate
incident” was duly addressed at the FEC meeting in Abuja presided over by
Jonathan.
He stated the
Minister of State, Foreign Affairs, Alhaji Nurdeen Muhammed, under whose
purview issues relating to African countries fall, briefed the FEC on the
development and the action so far taken by the ministry.
Abati said, “The
Minister of State, Foreign Affairs briefed the council on the unfortunate
incident that led to the death of at least one Nigerian in Guinea-Bissau and
said the situation is not acceptable. The government has protested the
development.
“The ministry had
already directed the Nigerian Ambassador in Bissau to take up the matter with
the Foreign Ministry of that country. That is a further confirmation that this
government react proactively wherever any Nigerian has any issue in any part of
the world.
“It will interest
you to know that Nigeria maintains a robust relationship with our neighbouring
countries. That matter was addressed at the council today and Nigerians can be
assured that the issue will be resolved quickly.”
The National
Assembly and the Nigeria Labour Congress advised the Federal Government to
demand full explanation of the killing.
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