The Continental Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO) Africa, Professor Jude Osakwe, has once again raised serious concerns and issued a renewed and urgent call on the Mozambican authorities to immediately and unconditionally release the 42 Nigerian nationals currently being held in detention in Mozambique.
Professor Osakwe stated unequivocally that the continued detention of these Nigerian citizens, without any formal charges being filed or any reason provided for their arrest, is not only unjustifiable but is also a gross violation of their fundamental human rights.
He emphasized that in any democratic society governed by the rule of law, no individual should be arrested and held in custody without being informed of the reason for their detention. The continued silence of the Mozambican authorities on this matter is, in his view, deeply troubling and unacceptable.
Professor Osakwe further revealed that approximately two days ago, in what he described as a calculated afterthought designed to conceal a deliberate act of injustice, Mozambican authorities clandestinely returned to the same area where the Nigerians had been arrested and proceeded to arrest a number of Mozambican nationals.
He argued that this action appeared to be a strategic move intended to create the false impression that the earlier arrests were not ethnically or nationally targeted, and to provide a veneer of legitimacy to what was otherwise an arbitrary and discriminatory action against Nigerian citizens.
Beyond the unlawful detention itself, Professor Osakwe disclosed that the arresting police officers went further to confiscate the mobile phones and money belonging to the Nigerian detainees at the time of their arrest.
This, he noted, compounds the injustice and raises serious questions about the conduct and professionalism of the officers involved, as well as the accountability of the institutions they represent.
One of the most alarming aspects of this situation, according to Professor Osakwe, is the fact that all 42 Nigerians in detention are holders of valid and legally obtained permits authorising their presence in Mozambique. Their arrest, therefore, cannot be justified on the grounds of illegal residence or immigration violations.
They were, by every legal standard, law-abiding residents who were taken into custody arbitrarily and without just cause, a situation that Professor Osakwe described as an affront to justice and to the dignity of Nigerian citizens abroad.
The situation is further worsened by reports that some of the detainees are currently suffering from health conditions while in custody. Professor Osakwe expressed grave concern over the fact that, as of the time of this statement, no family members, legal representatives, consular officials, or welfare officers have been granted access to the detainees.
He warned that denying individuals in detention access to medical care and legal counsel is a violation of basic humanitarian principles and international standards on the treatment of detainees, and called on the Mozambican authorities to immediately provide the necessary medical attention to those who require it.
What Professor Osakwe described as perhaps the most suspicious element of this entire situation is the response, or lack thereof, from the Mozambican government. Both the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Office of the Attorney General have reportedly claimed to have no knowledge of the arrests.
He questioned how such a significant action involving the mass detention of foreign nationals could have taken place without the knowledge or involvement of the relevant government ministries and law enforcement oversight bodies.
This, he suggested, raises serious questions about either a deliberate cover-up or a dangerous breakdown in institutional communication and accountability within the Mozambican government.
Professor Osakwe took a moment to commend the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Dr. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, for her prompt and decisive intervention in the matter since it came to light.
He equally issued a strong charge to the Nigerian Embassy in Mozambique to take a more proactive and urgent stance in following up on this matter. He called on the Embassy to engage directly with the Mozambican authorities at the highest levels, provide consular assistance to the detainees, and ensure that the rights, dignity, and welfare of every Nigerian citizen in custody are protected without further delay.
Professor Osakwe concluded by reiterating that NIDO Africa will continue to monitor the situation closely and will not relent in its advocacy until every one of the 42 detained Nigerians is released, treated with dignity, and given full access to justice. He called on the international community, human rights organisations, and fellow African nations to take note of this situation and to stand in solidarity with the Nigerian citizens whose rights are being violated.
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