The Federal Government has reacted to the alleged maltreatment of Nigerians in Guanzhou, China in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a press conference on Tuesday in Abuja, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, blamed the maltreatment on poor communication by the Chinese authorities.
Onyeama explained that a thorough investigation carried out by the Chinese and Nigerian authorities revealed that a group of Nigerians in the last flight to Guanzhou tested positive for COVID-19 including a Nigerian lady who owns a restaurant in the city.
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While noting that the Chinese government insisted they be quarantined with strict measures, the minister stressed that the videos circulating online were of Nigerians who flouted the strict measures and the measures to check them were misinterpreted.
According to him, a Nigerian national who tested positive for the virus wanted to leave the hospital after a week of quarantine and when he was restrained, he bit a nurse.
He noted that Nigerian officials have met with Chinese officials to register their displeasure and the Chinese government assured them that they have zero tolerance for racism, adding that they were on top of the situation.
He added that the Chinese government especially the Guanzhou authorities should have communicated with the Nigerian consulate in China.
Onyeama is of the view that efforts towards the quarantine of Nigerians who tested positive to coronavirus, coupled with strict measures to be adopted following the flouting of the quarantine should have been a joint effort between both countries.
