The Nigerian embassy in Washington, D.C., has frowned at a recent event in the U.S. capital where some “victims” of terrorism and farmers/herders conflict in northern Nigeria made “false” claims against the Federal Government.
The event, which was a panel discussion tagged “Insecurity in Nigeria: Eyewitnesses Speak”, was hosted by The Heritage Foundation, a Washington-based conservative think tank, on June 11.
The embassy’s reaction came in a letter signed by Mr Mohammed Suleiman, the Senior Counsellor/Head of Chancery, on behalf of the Nigerian Ambassador to the U.S.
A copy of the letter, dated June 18, was made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in New York at the weekend.
It said: “The attention of the Embassy of Nigeria, Washington, D.C., has been drawn to an event your Foundation hosted on June 11, 2019, where you brought alleged Nigerian victims of violence and insecurity: Rebecca Sharibu, mother of Leah Sharibu; Alheri Bawa Magaji and Napoleon Adamu, who gave false and uncorroborated allegations about their experiences.
“The Embassy thought that as a reputable and respected organisation, you would allow unbiased individuals at the event to make their contributions.
“But to their dismay, no opportunity was given for any intervention on the presentations, which is uncharacteristic of your Foundation.
“In this regard, the Embassy wishes to register its very strong displeasure, and to protest and request that the Foundation provide a platform where the Nigerian Government and other unbiased individuals can inform the American public of the true security situation in Nigeria.”
NAN reports that the forum, streamed live on The Heritage Foundation website, featured four witnesses, including Rebecca Sharibu, mother of Leah Sharibu, who was kidnapped by terrorists over a year ago.
Leah, a Christian girl, is among the 110 secondary school students abducted by the West African Province of the Islamic State (ISWAP), a Boko Haram faction, at Dapchi, Yobe, on Feb. 19, 2018.
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