Indonesia Apologises To Nigeria For Manhandling Diplomat

The government of Indonesia has apologised to Nigeria over the manhandling of a Nigerian Embassy staff by immigration officers.

Usra Hendra Harahap, Indone­sian Ambassador to Nigeria, ten­dered the apology when he was summoned by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyema.

A statement by the Ministry stated that “the Ambassador ex­plained what he understood hap­pened and apologised unreserved­ly on behalf of the Government of Indonesia.”

It added that the Ambassador “has confirmed that the immigra­tion officials involved had since come to the Nigerian Embassy to apologise to the Ambassador and the diplomat concerned.”

The Ministry also revealed that the federal government had sent a “strong complain” to the Asian country, adding that the “incident is against international law and the Vienna Conventions govern­ing Diplomatic and Consular Re­lations between States.”

A video making the round on social round showed where about three men wrestled a black man to the interior of a car, where they pinned his neck to the car seat.

In the video the man could be heard screaming, “my neck, I can’t breathe,” while his handlers kept the pressure on.

In the statement, the Ministry confirmed that the incident con­cerned a Nigerian Diplomat at his official quarters in Jakarta, on 7 August 2021.