Lagos, Nigeria - Buoyed by its recent 'victory' over South Africa in a diplomatic row triggered by the deportation of Nigerians for allegedly carrying fake Yellow Fever vaccination documentation, Nigeria has warned against the deportation of its citizens without following the appropriate institutional and legal framework.Foreign Affairs Minister Olugbenga Ashiru issued the warning during a parley with members of the Diplomatic Corps in the capital city of Abuja Tuesday.
“Let me state here that the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is not opposed to the deportation of Nigerians who no longer have the rights to remain in the countries from where they are being deported, especially after they might have exhausted all local remedies.
''We, however, insist that this deportation should be done within the appropriate institutional and legal framework and with dignity and decency. We have indeed signed MOUs (Memorandum of Understanding) with some countries of the world and are ready
to take similar actions with interested countries,” he said.
The shabby treatment of Nigerians living abroad, as widely reported by the local media, fuelled the government's angry reaction to the deportation of 125 Nigerians from South Africa last month.
In an unprecedented action, the government reacted by also deporting dozens of South Africans, until the South African government tendered a public apology.
Ambassador Ashiru also demanded a better treatment of Nigerians who daily besiege foreign embassies in the country for visa purposes.
He called for the provision of special reception halls for such visa applicants, decrying the way Nigerians queue up under harsh conditions for visas.
“It is a cardinal principle of Nigeria’s foreign policy to promote and protect the welfare of Nigerians. We will not abdicate this responsibility to our citizens all over and in all circumstances,” the Foreign Affairs Minister said.
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