Nigerians in Gabon Decry Inhuman Treatment, Calls for Removal of Head of Mission over Illegal Int'l Travelling Levies
By Ndifereke BASSEY
Nigerians in Gabon have cried out over the inhuman treatment against them in the country, calling for the removal of Chargé des Affaire (Head of Mission), Mr. Godwin Okoloho, for allegedly imposing illegal international travelling levies.
They accuse the Charge des Affair of the Nigerian Embassy, Okoloho, of not only creating disunity leadership among the Nigerian Community and Nigerians living in Gabon and crippling, but imposing a mandatory 10.000 Fcfa at the Nigerian Embassy each time they want to obtain their visas from the Chinese Embassy while travelling to China.
President of the Nigerian community in Gabon, Chief Nwanevu C. Gordian, in a statement, said Nigerians are facing challenges due to high-handedness from embassy staff, leading to difficulties in accessing essential services and assistance.
Chief Gordian said as Chargé des Affaire, Mr Okoloho has crippled the leadership of the Nigerian community, ensured it must not function, and then segregated the people by sharing leadership cards with non-officers of the Association to the detriment of the leadership of the elected President and his executive. This goes to show he has some skeletons in his cupboard.
The statement issued by Chief Gordian read in part: "You all are aware of the rumours of the alleged letter written to the Nigerian authorities to retain Mr Godwin O. Okoloho, The Charge des Affaire, of the Nigerian Embassy here in Gabon after his period of mission here has elapsed. His stay here has never been easy for all well-meaning Nigerians here in Gabon. We all know that he, Mr Okoloho, introduced high-handedness, menace, constant threats, harassment, repatriation and imprisonment to anybody who disagreed with him. We kept him at arm's length, as he had made such an attempt at my predecessor and his team.
"We all allowed him to reign with his high handedness, but now that his period is over, he is seeking an extension through an alleged retention letter by non-members of the Nigerian Community in Gabon. We, the Nigerian Community leadership, are asking him to go and let another diplomat replace him in line with the Extant Laws of the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and that of our host country, Gabon.
We have decided to distance ourselves from the said letter purportedly seeking his continued stay in Gabon as Charge des Affaire. Using the name of a community you are not leading to obtain favour and to continue balkanising the peace, tranquility and unity Nigerians in Gabon are enjoying is not healthy. It is a total fraud and impersonation. We urge the perpetrators of the illegality to tender an unreserved apology to the Nigerian Community leadership in particular and to the Nigerian community in Gabon in general".
Explaining further, Chief Gordian lamented ill treatment meted out to Nigerians travelling to China for their private business as they are forced to pay 10.000 Fcfa at the Nigerian Embassy each time they want to obtain their visas from the Chinese Embassy while travelling to China.
He alleged that the Charge des Affaire created sectional groups that he is using to undermine the office of the Nigerian Community leadership, thereby denying the President's rights and privileges. They, therefore called for intervention from the Nigerian government, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, or other authorities to address the high-handedness and provide a conducive environment for Nigerians living in Gabon.
