*The Nigerian
Embassy in Washington has protested to the U.S. Government over the
violation
of its premises by the Secret Service agents following fracas between two local
workers.*
The Nigerian
Embassy in Washington has protested to the U.S. Government over the violation
of its premises by the Secret Service agents following fracas between two local
workers.
The Acting
Ambassador/Charge d’Affaires, Hakeem Balogun, told the Correspondent of the
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that a “protest note” had been transmitted to the
U.S. Department of State.
Balogun condemned
the violation of the diplomatic protocol over altercation by two Embassy
drivers adding: “The embassy has as well transmitted a protest note to the U.S.
Department of State.
“We have
sent a protest note in respect of the entrance by the police into the embassy.
It is against diplomatic protocols.
“They are
not supposed to enter the embassy. The protest letter is in respect of the
entrance of the police into the embassy,” Balogun said.
The Nigerian
envoy also said that he “has since taken appropriate and timely, administrative
and diplomatic steps to address the incident.
“These
measures include the immediate and indefinite suspension of the two local staff
members involved in the fracas.
“There is
the establishment of a Committee to investigate and recommend appropriate
disciplinary actions against the two locally-recruited staff members involved
in the fracas.”
Balogun
dismissed the publication by a Nigerian newspaper alleging that “the United
States Police was called in to restore order in the Embassy as a result of ‘a
physical fight’.
The
ambassador also described as baseless, claims that the fracas took place “in
the full glare of dozens of guests and visa applicants”.
“To buttress
its report, the Newspaper attached a photograph claiming to be the ‘chaotic
situation’ that erupted as a result of the fight,” he said.
According to
him, however, the dispute between two of its drivers took place in the basement
area of the Chancery where Embassy drivers are stationed.
“The
physical encounter was, therefore, not in the full glare of the public as to
have caused a chaotic situation.
“A cursory
look and careful analysis of the picture attached by the Newspaper will reveal
to anyone conversant with the Embassy’s premises that the picture used has no
physical connection to the Embassy.
“This was
clearly an effort at deception,” the ambassador said.
On the issue
of the nationalities of the Embassy’s local staff members, he said the primary
qualification for employment into the non-diplomatic workforce is knowledge of
the job, not the nationality of the applicant.
“The
Newspaper went further to question the composition of the nationalities of the
Embassy’s locally recruited staff”.
“This is an
international best practice. Be that as it may, it is important to inform that
out of the Mission’s current local staff strength of 44, there are 37
Nigerians.
“Seven are
non-Nigerians from India, The Philippines, Singapore and Sri Lanka,” he said.
Balogun
assured that the Mission would continue to do everything within its mandate to
protect and defend the interests of Nigeria and Nigerians in the U.S.
Reuters
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