COVID-19: Dabiri urges Nigerians thrown out of Chinese hotels to report to Embassy

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Nigerians in Diaspora, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has called on Nigerians thrown out of their hotels in Guangzhou China, to report themselves to the Nigerian Consulate in the Asian country for proper documentation and further actions.

Dabiri made this call in a Channels Television program monitored in Lagos while reacting to allegations of the Nigerian government’s neglect by the group in China.

She also accused the Nigerian citizens of making videos to blackmail her office and the Federal Government.

Nigerians in China who had travelled there for business purposes a few days before the federal government announced a lockdown are accusing Chinese authorities of maltreatment, just as they said the Nigerian government did not care about their plight.

A Nigerian returnee in the wake of the outbreak of Coronavirus (COVID-19) who preferred anonymity told Nigerian Tribune that some of his friends in China are going through a lot of stigmatisation from the Chinese.

“Blacks cannot buy and sell in China. When you go to any place to buy anything, they will say please go back, go back.

“My friend was quarantined for 14 days and confirmed free of any sign of infection. After 3 days, the authorities came back yesterday and ordered him back to the hotel for another 14 days quarantine.

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“The annoying part is that they will seize your passport and ask you to pay for your lodging throughout the period,” he said.

He said that in terms of feeding, they have been living off the generosity of a few Nigerians with Chinese or European wives who come to the streets and under bridges to serve them snacks.

However, this is coming after Video clips emerged from different social media platforms showing Chinese authorities kicking Nigerians out of their hotels over Coronavirus fears.

The Nigerian citizens, mainly importers in several video clips posted online, alleged that they were thrown out of their hotels over fears that they may bring coronavirus back to the country.

According to them, they had travelled in response to advertorials recorded by the Chinese police in February, informing people that the country had successfully contained the Covid-19 pandemic and urging everyone to resume normal business activities.

They shared some clips online to show the way they were mistreated when they arrived there.

According to them, when they arrived in China, they were quarantined for 14 days and after 14 days were up, they were sent out and have been prevented from booking any other hotel.

These Nigerians seen roaming the streets stranded revealed that they are not allowed to lodge in any other hotel and they have nowhere to go.

Nigerians said that the government of the country treated them unfairly despite the fact that their citizens are everywhere in Africa According to them, the government did not give them an alternative place to stay as they drove them out to the street on a rainy day.

Another viral video online has shows Nigerians being chased around on Chinese roads amid coronavirus lockdown.

The Nigerian voice in the video said the Chinese government is treating them like second class citizens despite the fact that their citizens are in Africa with full freedom.

In another shot in the same video file, some Nigerians were seen roaming in a pack as they complained of the inhumane way they were sent away to seek shelter even after they have observed a 14-day quarantine.

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE