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