Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has denied claims by one of its citizens resident in Switzerland that he has been blacklisted by the Nigerian Embassy in the European country.
The Nigerian, Agbaeze Chinedu in a series of videos which he circulated on social media, claimed that he was blacklisted by the Nigerian Embassy in Berne, Switzerland.
The Ministry however said contrary to Agbaeze’s claim, the Embassy did not blacklist him or any individual from receiving consular services at the Mission.
“The attention of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been drawn to a new series of videos circulated in social media by a Nigerian citizen resident in Switzerland, Mr Agbaeze Francis Chinedu, in which he falsely claimed to have been blacklisted by the Nigerian Embassy in Berne, Switzerland,” the ministry said in a statement signed by Ferdinand Nwonye, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“The Ministry wishes to state that contrary to Mr Agbaeze’s claim, the Embassy did not blacklist him or any individual from receiving consular services at the Mission. Mr Agbaeze visited the Embassy on Thursday, 11th March 2021 for his earlier booked appointment and was duly attended to like every other applicant.
“He was issued a collection slip and asked to return for his passport on Monday, 22nd March 2021. Rather than comply accordingly, Mr Agbaeze insisted that his passport must be issued to him immediately, adding that he was not satisfied with the data generated by the system. Thereafter, he proceeded to release another unwarranted video where he made false and disparaging comments against the Ambassador and staff of the
Embassy.”
According to Mr Nwoye, “it would be recalled that the Ministry via Press Release No. MFA/PR/2021/07, dated 1 February 2021, had addressed an earlier video by Mr Agbaeze where he falsely accused the Embassy of negligence. It was revealed then that Mr Agbaeze had no prior booking with the Embassy and was advised to abide by the online booking system of the Embassy and refrain from disorderly conduct.
“Therefore, the Ministry wishes to urge the general public to kindly disregard the misguided claims and utterances of Mr Agbaeze, as he was never blacklisted by the Nigerian Embassy in Berne and the Embassy has assured of its continued commitment to ensuring that consular services are efficiently provided to all.
“The Ministry also wishes to reiterate that our Missions will continue to efficiently render quality services to all Nigerians,” he said.
By Abel Ejikeme