Nigerians
in Thailand
cry for help
By
Henry Umahi
The
Nigerian Community Association Thailand (NCAT), an umbrella body of Nigerians
living in Thailand,
has petitioned President Goodluck Jonathan, saying they deserve a better deal
from the Nigerian ambassador to the Asian country. They
alleged that the ambassador, Umaru Suleiman Azores, in collaboration with
another Nigerian, Mr. Jerry Chike Obinabo have made life difficult for them.
Claiming
that the duo connive with the Thai police to arrest, detain, torture and
imprison Nigerians on trumped-up charges, they maintained that the ambassador
was usually indifferent to the plight of his countrymen in Thai prisons, unlike
his predecessor, Mr. Henry Offor. Furthermore, they alleged that the ambassador
consistently refused to get involved when a Nigerian died there, pending the
arrival of the deceased family. Another issue raised was they way the money
raised by the community for Nigerian prisoners and given to the ambassador was
managed.
In
a “Save Our Soul” letter signed by the President of NCAT, Mr. Akudo Gilbert
Ndigwe to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and copied to the Presidency, the
inspector general of police, the International Police (INTERPOL), the speaker
of the House of Representatives, the National Human Rights Commission and the
United Nations Human Rights Commission Treaties, the community charged the
authorities to call the ambassador in Thailand to order.
The
letter specifically called on President Jonathan to stop Azores
from further submission of Nigerian passports to the Thai authorities and
subsequent ordering of their arrest by the Thai police. The community is also
asking the INTERPOL to bring Mr. Obinabo and officials of NCAT to Nigeria where
they would both have a level playing ground to prove their innocence.
Painting
a pathetic and horrible picture of their situation in Thailand, they
said: “So many Nigerians are now on the run because Mr. Jerry has now taken the
advantage of the ambassador’s action to terrorise the community the more.
Students are no longer going to school; businessmen close their shops; those
that are working are afraid of going out of their houses because they are not
sure of the security of their lives in Thailand. The Nigerian embassy in Thailand now
lives in enmity with the Nigerian community in the country. In fact, we speak
as the four Syrians spoke in the Bible in Second Kings Chapter seven verses
three to five.
We
already have enough innocent Nigerians in Thai prison and we don’t want to increase
their number.”
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