The Abike Dabiri-Erewa-led Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) has reacted to a viral video alleging that the Nigerian Mission in Bern, Switzerland called the police on Nigerians.
In a statement on Wednesday signed by spokesman Abdulrahman Balogun, NIDCOM said the mission only called the Embassy Protection Unit to restore decorum after 64 Nigerians besieged the mission despite COVID-19 protocols allowing only 10 applicants.
The statement read: “In line with Covid-19 protocols, the Embassy in Bern. Switzerland is only allowed to attend to 10 applicants, however, the Mission made it possible to attend to a maximum of 20 daily, spacing out the appointments.
“But on this day, 64 Nigerians besieged the Nigerian mission in Bern. Only 10 of them were on scheduled appointment.
“54 of them had no appointment for that day and had not made the mandatory online payment and majority of the applicants came from Italy and Spain. With no appointment with no online payment.”
According to the statement, while the Nigerian ambassador to Switzerland Baba Madagu was addressing them, they rushed in through the front door and overcrowded a hall that was meant to receive only 10 people at a time.
“The mission did not call the Police as erroneously stated in the video, But invited the Embassy Protection Unit to bring calm and decorum back to the hall,” NIDCOM said.
“The men of the Embassy protection unit addressed them and those on appointment as well as those who had made their online payments were attended to.
“While others were advised to follow the due process, with an assurance that everyone will be attended to as long as the rules were followed.”
NIDCOM appealed to citizens abroad to be good ambassadors of Nigeria.
