COVID-19: FG launches investigation into alleged maltreatment of Nigerians in China

- The federal government has launched a probe into the alleged abuse and maltreatment of Nigerians in China

- Geoffrey Onyeama, the foreign affairs minister, confirmed that the consulate in Guangzhou has started an investigation

- Recall Nigerians in China cried out over the alleged attacks by Chinese authorities since the outbreak of COVID-19

Following the alleged abuse and maltreatment of Nigerians in China after the outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the federal government has launched an investigation into the matter.

There have been alleged attacks and abuse of Nigerians in the Guangdong region over the handling, test and treatment of COVID-19 patients, an allegation the Chinese government denied.

The investigation launch was confirmed by Geoffrey Onyeama, the foreign affairs minister who noted that the consulate in Guangzhou has started.

According to The Nation, a source close to the foreign minister revealed that the head of the Nigeria Embassy in Beijing has been ordered to launch the immediate investigations into the allegations.

The source said: “I can authoritatively tell you that the Nigerian government is investigating the alleged attacks on Nigerians by Chinese in Guangzhou.

“The government really wants to get the actual position from the Chinese and Nigerian Embassy in China. If it is true that Nigerians were really attacked and discriminated against in China because of Covid-19, the government would like to know and then decide on the next line of action. As a government, we do not want to act on hearsay but fact.”

However, the claims of maltreatment of Nigerians residents in China have been denied by the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria. It stated that the Chinese authority has zero-tolerance for discrimination.

The Embassy further explained that all foreign nationals are treated equally in China.

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It would be recalled that the federal government said poor communication between the Chinese authorities and African consulates in Guangzhou, China, was responsible for the tensions that arose concerning the alleged maltreatment of Nigerians.

The minister of Foreign Affairs disclosed this while briefing journalists in Abuja accompanied by the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr Zhou Pingjian.

Onyeama said that the lack of communication made a lot of Nigerians and Africans to misunderstand what was happening in China.

He also said that if there was effective communication, African consulates would have assisted the Chinese authorities in the action it was taking.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the leadership of the House of Representatives expressed displeasure over the inhuman treatment meted out on some Nigerians by the Chinese authorities in Beijing.

The speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila expressed the displeasure at a meeting with the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Zhou Pingjian in Abuja.

Gbajabiamila said that the inhuman treatment on Nigerians in China must be addressed forthwith. The speaker confronted the Ambassador with the protest video of the incidence where a Nigerian was seen challenging Chinese officials over the maltreatment.

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Source: Legit.ng