Politics
NIDCOM says that in view of the video circulating on social media alleging that the Nigerian mission in Switzerland invited police to arrest Nigerians, who were at the Nigerian Embassy in Switzerland to procure their passports, it is imperative to state the facts of the matter and put the incident into proper and true perspective.
A statement by NIDCOM said that in line with Covid-19 protocols, the Embassy in Bern, Switzerland, was only allowed to attend to 10 applicants, however, the Mission worked
out a programme that made it possible to attend to a maximum of 20 daily spacing out the appointments.
But on this day, 64 Nigerians besieged the Nigerian mission in Bern, It turned out that only 10 of them were on the scheduled appointment. So 54 of them had no appointment for that day.. That apart, they had not made the mandatory online payment. And the majority of the applicants came from Italy and Spain. Without any appointment whatsoever. And without any payments made online
The Embassy only reopened after Covid-19 pandemic lockdown in July and
were restricted to attending to a limited number as stipulated by the
country’s Covid 19 protocol.
It is also instructive to note as stated earlier that majority of the
applicants came in from Italy and Spain without a prior appointment and
without making the mandatory online payment .While the Nigerian
Ambassador to Switzerland, Amb. Baba Madugu was addressing them and
appealing to them to respect the Covid-19 rules in place and also
follow due process, they barged in through the front door and
over crowded a hall that was meant to receive only 10 people at a time.
The mission did not call the Police as erroneously stated in the video,
but invited the Embassy Protection Unit to bring calm and decorum back
to the hall.
The men of the Embassy protection unit addressed them, looked through
the appointment list and advised those not on appointment and those
who had not made their payments online to calm down, while they were
given phone numbers and e-mail to access and book an appointment and make
their online payments.
Those on appointment and those who had made their online payments were
attended to, while others were advised to follow the due process, with
an assurance that everyone will be attended to.as long as the rules were
followed.
The affected Nigerians left the hall peacefully only to the surprise
of Swiss officers of the Embassy protection unit and the mission, some
of them recorded a video which definitely misrepresented the true
scenario.
The Covid-19 pandemic, which has necessitated the introduction of strict
protocols in these unusual times, is difficult for every one and every
country.
We appeal to Nigerians abroad to be good ambassadors of Nigeria wherever
they are and obey the laws put in place .
The Nigerian mission in Bern is still attending to Nigerians, who follow
the process, pay online and book their appointments as stipulated.
– Sept. 24, 2020 @ 10:15 GMT |
Tags: Video on alleged arrest of Nigerians at Embassy in Switzerland – The facts
