The Federal Government has condemned the stigmatisation of Nigerians by South Africa and 21 other countries over the outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus disease that was successfully eradicated recently.
The Federal Government said the eradication of the virus prompted the World Health Organisation to declare Nigeria an Ebola-free country.
The countries that stigmatised Nigerians are: Bahrain, Côte d’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon, Cuba, Gabon, China, Egypt and Hong Kong.
Others are Kuwait, Qatar, Sri Lanka, Turkey, Zambia, Mauritania, São Tomé & Principle, United Arab Emirates, Ukraine, Namibia, Seychelles and South Sudan.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Aminu Wali, who conveyed the federal government’s disapproval of the stigmatization of Nigerians at a meeting with members of the Diplomatic Corps on Friday in Abuja, cautioned Heads of Mission for making what he called inflammatory and reckless statements against the Nigerian government on matters of domestic policies.
According to him, such act is an “unacceptable interference in Nigeria’s domestic affairs”.
Wali said, “It is disappointing and troubling that in spite of the decisive measures taken by the Federal Government of Nigeria and the subsequent positive declaration by WHO, some countries have regrettably, chosen to flout the WHO rules on the Ebola virus by adopting deliberate policies of stigmatisation and discrimination against Nigerians simply because we were unfortunately exposed to the virus.
“I will like to make it categorically clear that the continued discrimination and profiling of Nigeria is not acceptable to the government and people of Nigeria”.
