By Mudiaga Affe, Ben Ogbemudia and Idu Jude
A recent viral video which showed how a Nigerian diplomat, Abdulrahman Ibrahim, was assaulted by Indonesian immigration officers in the capital city of Jakarta, has ignited not only a diplomatic row between Nigeria and Indonesia, but rising rage among Nigerians.

At the heat of the imbroglio, the Nigerian government recalled the Nigerian High Commissioner to Indonesia, Usman Ogah, for consultation, while threatening to review the bilateral relations between the two nations.

While that was on, Nigerians are still expressing reservations over the ignoble acts of the Indonesian officials.

Among those who are flaming vexed are former Nigerian envoy to Spain, Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu; National Chairman of the opposition Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, and the Association of Foreign Relations Professionals of Nigeria (AFRPN), a critical stakeholder in diplomacy management, in addition to a foreign affairs ministry top officer, who said Nigeria stands nothing to gain from the Asian country if diplomatic ties were severed.

They all faulted the Indonesia officials and called for drastic measures to deter future occurrence.

First to fire the salvo was Nigeria’s ex- beauty queen and a former Ambassador to Spain, Bianca Ojukwu, who has asked the Federal Government “to teach Indonesia a bitter lesson’’ over last week’s action of its immigration officials.

Ojukwu told ThisNigeria in an exclusive chat that the Federal Government must not stop at anything in ensuring that the Indonesian government learnt ugly lessons over the action it meted on the Nigerian diplomat last week.

“The Federal Government of Nigeria must stop at nothing in redeeming Nigerian image abroad by ensuring that the Indonesian government learn ugly lessons over the action meted on a Nigerian diplomat last week,” she stated.

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She noted that, times without number, most ‘white-skinned nations’ took African nations for granted as inferior beings, a show that neo-colonialism was still being imposed.

“How else can they show Africans that neo-colonialism is still enforced?,’’ she asked.
Ojukwu argued that what happened to the Nigerian diplomat was an extension of what happened in the United States of America last year when a black American, George Floyd, was smothered in broad daylight without remorse.

The ex- envoy noted that Ibrahim’s recent experience were signs of more of such despicable actions on Nigerians and other African nationals.

She, therefore, warned that no one should believe the defence put up by the Indonesian authorities that the immigration officers involved in the near-strangulation made a mistake of identity.

“What happened to Mr. Ibrahim should teach the present administration that more of it is coming the Nigerian way, and indeed, other African countries, and no one should believe the crap that the immigration officers made a mistake of identity. I beg to disagree,” she added.

According to Lady Ojukwu, every immigration officer is trained for such operations, and besides, strangling anyone without due investigation is uncalled for, since the outcome of a proper any probe, ab initio, would have assisted in ascertaining the proper identity of the target before meting out such international disgrace.

The former Nigerian envoy lamented that the assault on the Nigerian would not have been far from the international perception about Nigeria, which in her opinion, such nations are wrong and still living in the past on, whereas Nigeria’s image has improved tremendously in the global front and should be respected thus.

“Perhaps those involved are still living in the past about Nigeria, which is wrong of them.

“I think the image of Nigerians has improved internationally and should be respected,” she said.

Charged by the inaction of the Indonesian officials, the Association of Foreign Relations Professionals of Nigeria (AFRPN), has described the assault and strangulation of Ibrahim by Indonesian immigration officials as undiplomatic and uncivilised.
They called on the Indonesian government to recall its envoy from Nigeria.

The group, comprising retired and serving ambassadors, in a letter to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, demanded the immediate return of the Indonesian Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr. Usra Harahap, to his country, until a satisfactory explanation was given and frayed nerves assuaged.

President of AFRPN, Ambassador Gani Lawal, explained that the assault on Ibrahim was a violation of Article 29 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, 1961 and, therefore, called for the sacking of the immigration officials directly involved in the act.

“The association recommends the immediate disengagement of all the Indonesian immigration officers involved in such uncivilized manner to desecrate the age-long tradition of inviolability of diplomatic agent and their family and property as provided by Article 29 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (1961) which states that, “Diplomats must not be liable to any form of arrest or detention. They are immune from civil or criminal prosecution.”

The group further endorsed the declaration of the Indonesian embassy staff in Nigeria persona non grata, which would lead to their recall to Jakarta.

It commended the steps so far taken by the foreign affairs ministry, while strongly recommending a public apology to the government and people of Nigeria, with a warning that the occurrence does not repeat itself, and immediate compensation to family of the concerned diplomat be made.

Similarly, National Chairman of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), Uche Secondus, also joined the fray seeking stiffer penalty against Indonesia for assaulting a Nigerian diplomat.

Secondus, who bemoaned the debasing of Nigerians abroad, called on the Federal Government to apply the ‘stiffest penalty’ on Indonesia over the humiliating treatment of the affected diplomat.

Secondus charged the government to apply no constraint in responding to the ‘unprovoked and unwarranted manhandling’ of the Nigerian consul.

According to him, under the reign of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Nigeria has often been debased and her nationals flagrantly insulted and humiliated abroad.

The PDP chairman recommended far-reaching measures, such as the recall of Nigerian Ambassador to Indonesia and/or the expulsion of their ambassador, “if adequate remorse and commensurate punishment” is not meted out to those Indonesian officials.

Laced with more rage, an insider in the ministry, who does want his name in print, said the current face-off could break diplomatic ties between both countries, especially when Nigeria does not have much to benefit from Indonesia.

He noted that, now that the flexing of muscles appear to be relaxing, especially since both countries have started exchanging official communications to reach possible ameliorating point, Nigerians should for now calm their nerves.

He said, “For what I know, the Minister of Foreign Affairs had earlier summoned the Indonesian Ambassador, who came to explain some issues, and the Nigerian Ambassador in Indonesia has also written to explain some issues which coincided with other explanations that are in favour of Nigeria.

“So, peace talks are on the way because the Minister of Foreign Affairs in Indonesia has briefed the world press over the unfortunate issue. At the same point, he apologised. So, I think we should stop eliciting people’s opinions over the issue because Nigeria is on the winning side.

‘’We can only up our aggression if the people refuse to comply with the new conditions of relationship, but as it is now, they are ready to abide by the international diplomatic rules.”

Notwithstanding the growing anger, the Asian country has put the blame on Ibrahim, the Nigerian diplomat.

At a recent meeting with Nigerian government officials, the Indonesian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Usra Harahap, told Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, that it was the Nigerian diplomat that was the aggressor during his (Ibrahim) encounter with some immigration officers.

In the account of the incident, Harahap disclosed that the immigration officers from South Jakarta Immigration Office were carrying out surveillance on foreigners when they asked Ibrahim for identification, but the diplomat allegedly refused to identify himself or tender his passport.

He stated, “By that time, they met with Mr Ibrahim, and politely requested him to show his travel document.

‘’He answered that his passport was in his room.

“Then the officer asked again, ‘Can we see your travel document to check the residence permit, and if there are no problems with the document, so you may continue your activities.

“Mr Ibrahim was not willing to show his passport and said to the officer, ‘you will know who really I am, and be careful on that.

“Instead of showing his identity card, Mr Ibrahim was angry and said, ‘Just arrest me and you will regret to know who really I am.’ The officer said, “We will not detain you further sir if you can show us your identity card.’’
Then Ibrahim said, “Where is your car? I’ll come to your office.”

“On the way to the immigration office in South Jakarta, several incidents happened. Mr Ibrahim elbowed the immigration officer, Mr Laode Hauzan Baidi, who was sitting next to him until Mr Laode’s lip was bleeding. This led to other officers restraining him from attacking another officer during the trip.”