The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Olugbenga Ashiru, said on Thursday that the Federal Government would do everything possible to protect the rights of Nigerians abroad.
He made the statement in Abuja at a news conference, after meeting with members of the PDP National Working Committee.
The minister visited the committee to brief members on the activities of the ministry in the last two years.
He said that the Federal Government had written to protest the proposed 3,000 pounds UK visa bond for Nigerians imposed by the British Government.
“We have expressed our displeasure at any attempt to introduce the visa bound for Nigerians. We have told them that it is discriminatory.
“We have also told them that it is against the principles of the Common Wealth of Nations, of which we are members.’’
He assured that the Federal Government would take appropriate measures to protect and defend the interest of Nigerians if the UK Government went ahead with the proposal.
The minister said that the Federal Government was investigating the alleged unlawful sacking of Justice Joseph Wowo, a Gambian-born Nigerian in the Gambia.
He said that at the end of the investigation, the Nigerian Government would take necessary actions.
Wowo, who hails from Delta State, was the former President of the Gambian Court of Appeal.
“We believe in the rule of law and in due process. The case is being looked into.
“And if there is a case of high-handedness, the Nigerian Government will look into it and take necessary steps to ensure that the interest of the Nigerian is protected.
The minister, however, said that while the Nigerian Government would do everything to protect the rights of Nigerians, it would not defend any one who willfully contravened the laws of any country.
He also disclosed that between 9,000 and 9, 500 Nigerians were currently serving jail terms abroad.
“Where a Nigerian willfully commits crime in any foreign country, he is on his own, but where it is established that a Nigerian citizen was unlawfully victimised, we as government, would take appropriate steps.‘’
On the issue of gay marriage, the minister said that the Federal Government would stand firm to ensure that such culture was not impose on the country by any foreign government.
He noted that gay marriage was not part of Nigeria`s culture and would not be accepted by the government under any guise.
The minister said that government was doing everything possible to address the nation’s power challenges.
“This is the first government apart from that of President Olusegun Obasonjo, that is squarely facing the issue of power and this would take time.
“But one thing is clear, we have a lot of power stations springing up across the country and these are the ones that will feed the national grid.
“Two years ago, we were generating less than 2,000mw, today it is over 4,500mw, so it is increasing.’’
He said that government was working out a Prison Transfer Agreement with some countries to ensure that Nigerians served their jail terms in Nigeria.
