Nigeria raises issue of security of its nationals

Nigeria has issued a note verbale to India conveying concerns over the security of its nationals and demanded immediate arrest of those who killed a Nigerian in Goa last week, prompting the government today to assure it that all issues will be addressed in a cooperative manner.

"We have lost one of our nationals in a cold-blooded murder. We have raised the issue with India and written a note verbale on Friday to convey our concerns over the security of our nationals.

"The guilty should be immediately apprehended and brought to justice. And they should also compensate the family of the victim," Tokunbo Falohun, Minister-Press in the Nigerian High Commission, told PTI.

He also said the High Commissioner has received a call from the External Affairs Ministry regarding the matter.

According to official sources here, Joint Secretary in MEA's Western Africa Division spoke to the Nigerian High Commissioner assuring him that India and Nigeria have excellent relations and that all issues will be "addressed in a cooperative manner in line with our friendly ties".

Asked if there will be any "repercussion" of the incident as was being indicated by a Nigerian diplomat yesterday, Falohun said if the matter was "justifiably" dealt with, then there will not be any repercussion.

"There is a large Indian community working in Nigeria. There are two temples in Lagos and all Indians have freedom to worship and for their other activities. We also are demanding the same," he said.

A Nigerian was found dead with stab wounds in Mapusa town Panaji, triggering protests from around 200 Nigerians who blocked a road on the city outskirts last week.

Following the incident, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar told reporters that he had asked the police department to comb the entire state and locate Nigerians and other foreign nationals staying without visa and other documentation.

Parrikar said that the murder was fall-out of a gang rivalry in the drug trade.