‎NIDCOM Alleges Xenophobic Targeting In Arrest of 42 Nigerians in Mozambique‎

The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) has expressed grave concern over the recent arrest of 42 Nigerian citizens in Mozambique.
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‎The Chairman and CEO of the commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa officially condemned the action on Sunday, noting that no specific offenses have been leveled against the detainees.
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‎​In a formal statement issued in Abuja, Dabiri-Erewa described the situation as “distasteful,” highlighting reports that Nigerians were allegedly handpicked from a crowd.
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‎The commission expressed concern that the arrests appeared to be discriminatory rather than a standard law enforcement procedure.
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‎​The NIDCOM boss emphasized that while no one is above the law, due process must be followed. She stated that if any of the individuals had truly run foul of Mozambican laws, the authorities are obligated to arraign and charge them before a court of law rather than holding them indefinitely.
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‎​She suggested that the specific nature of the roundup points toward a deeper systemic issue. She remarked that the sudden selection of only Nigerians for detention depicts a xenophobic attack on Nigerian citizens living and working within the country.
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‎​According to the reports received by the commission, the arrests took place at a local spare parts market. Despite the presence of numerous traders and individuals of various nationalities, only the Nigerians were singled out and taken into custody without any explanation provided by the security forces.
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‎​Investigation into the status of the detainees revealed that they are confirmed legal residents of Mozambique.
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‎The statement noted that the arrested Nigerians were allegedly beaten during the operation, and many had their personal belongings stolen by the arresting officers.
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‎​The health of the detainees is also a growing concern for the Nigerian government. Several of the individuals have reportedly fallen ill while in custody and are currently in urgent need of medical attention, which has reportedly not been provided.
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‎​Addressing the Mozambican authorities, the NIDCOM Chairman demanded the immediate release of the 42 citizens. She insisted that the government must either allow the law to take its course through transparent legal channels or release them to end their ordeal.