Following the assault of a Nigerian Diplomat on Saturday in Jakarta, the Indonesian Foreign Ministry on Thursday apologized and has stated that a formal investigation has commenced on the incident.
According to Indonesian authorities, the diplomat was detained by immigration officials after receiving a report about a group of foreigners whose residence permits had expired. Head of Jakarta section of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights in charge of immigration matters, Mr. Ibnu Chuldun had said that the diplomat was unwilling to cooperate when he was accosted at the lobby of the apartment building and refused to hand over his documents. After questioning at the local immigration office, it was discovered that the assaulted was a diplomat.
The video showed that three immigration officials pinned the Diplomat to the back seat of a moving vehicle. An immigration official held the diplomat’s arm, and another official pushed his head hard as the diplomat yelled “I can’t breathe” and “my neck, my neck”
Nigeria issued a statement on Tuesday expressing “outrage” at the incident, saying the government condemned in the strongest terms, the incident and regarded it as a serious international violation.
Earlier this week, after the leaked video of Saturday’s incident went viral on social media, Nigeria recalled its ambassador to Indonesia and issued a summon to Abuja for a conversation. Teuku Faizasyah, a spokesman for the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told reporters that since the incident, many meetings have been held with Nigerian officials, including a meeting with the Jakarta Ambassador on Wednesday.
“This is an isolated incident and is in no way related to the commitment of the Indonesian government in carrying out its obligations as host country or in accordance with the Vienna convention on diplomatic Relations.”
“Both parties acknowledged that there had been a misunderstanding and agreed to make peace” Mr. Chuldun further stated.
