******NIDO Africa Chairman Urges Foreign Affairs Minister to Intervene in Mozambique Detention of 42 Nigerians as Traders Shut Shops, March to Embassy
The Continental Chairman of Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO) Africa, Professor Jude Osakwe, has called on Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs to urgently intervene in the ongoing crisis involving 42 Nigerian nationals currently detained in Mozambique.
Prof. Osakwe, in a strongly worded statement, stressed that it is high time the Nigerian government stepped in to address the plight of the detained citizens, demanding that the authorities formally communicate to the detainees the specific offences they are alleged to have committed.
“The Nigerian government must wade into this matter without further delay. These are Nigerian citizens whose rights must be protected,” Prof. Osakwe stated.
The crisis took a dramatic turn when Nigerian traders in Mozambique shuttered their shops in a show of solidarity, before marching to the Nigerian Embassy alongside the wives of the detained individuals. The protesters demanded that the Nigerian government take immediate and concrete action to secure the release of their loved ones or, at the very least, ensure they are informed of the charges against them.
The march underscored the growing frustration among the Nigerian community in Mozambique, who feel abandoned by their home country in their hour of need.
The Nigerian Embassy has yet to issue an official response to the protest. Prof. Osakwe’s call equally awaits a public response from the Minister of Foreign Affairs at the time of filing this report.
The situation continues to draw concern from diaspora groups and human rights advocates, who are calling for transparency and urgent diplomatic engagement between Nigeria and Mozambique to resolve the matter.