The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) has called for the release of 42 Nigerians recently arrested at a spare parts market in Mozambique, suspecting the incident to be a “xenophobic attack on Nigerian citizens.”
The chairman and chief executive officer of the commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, said the development was disturbing, particularly as no offence has reportedly been levelled against the affected Nigerians.
In a statement on Sunday in Abuja, signed by the agency’s Director of Media, Public Relations and Protocols, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, Dabiri-Erewa described the arrest as “distasteful” and said that Nigerians were allegedly singled out for arrest.
She said if the affected individuals had violated any law, they should be properly charged in court.
“If they run afoul of the law, the authorities should arraign and charge them before a court of law,” Dabiri-Erewa said.
She added that the reported selective arrest of Nigerians suggests a “xenophobic attack on Nigerian citizens.”
She therefore urged Mozambican authorities to either release the detainees immediately or ensure that due legal process is followed.
According to the statement, the Nigerians were allegedly singled out and arrested at a spare parts market while other traders and individuals present were left untouched, with no clear explanation given for their detention.
It added that the arrested Nigerians have been confirmed to be legal residents, while the attorney general was reportedly unaware of any charges against them.
The commission also alleged that some of the detainees were beaten, had their personal belongings taken and that several of them have fallen ill and require medical attention.
The NIDCOM boss urged authorities in Mozambique to address the situation urgently and ensure the safety and rights of the affected Nigerians.
The incident adds to previous cases of suspected xenophobic attacks against Nigerians in parts of Southern Africa.
In 2019, members of the Nigerian community in South Africa were attacked during a wave of xenophobic violence.
The attacks sparked retaliatory actions against some South African businesses in Nigeria and led to a diplomatic row between the two countries.
At the height of the crisis, South Africa temporarily closed its diplomatic missions in Nigeria following reprisals by Nigerians angered by the xenophobic attacks.
