The Monday March 4, 2013 attack on Nigerian Embassy
building in Dakar, Senegal was as a result of alleged disappearance of
death body of a Nigerian from a hospital morgue, Nigerian Ambassador to
Senegal, said Mrs. Katyen Jackden.
Speaking before members of the House
of Representatives committee on Foreign Affairs yesterday in Abuja, Mrs.
Jackden said the body of a Nigerian by name Kingsley Irogbulam was said
to have disappeared from a hospital’s morgue in Dakar.
According to Jackden, Mr Irogbulam was
allegedly pushed out of a moving taxi about October last year, an
action that led to the arrest of five persons already facing trial in
Dakar, but that when the burial committee, headed by one Pastor Vitalis
Ugor made efforts to recover his body for burial in February, it was
curiously informed that the body had been disposed of.
She further disclosed that on getting
the information, the embassy responded by urging the Senegalese
authorities to ensure a thorough investigation into the killing and also
approved CFA95,000 (about US $200) to assist the burial committee
procure a casket as well as pay the grave diggers and transport the body
for burial.
She said the enraged Nigerians
reportedly broke into Nigeria’s embassy building,
attack staff members, as well desecrating the Nigerian flag and
destroyed other property, after subduing the security guards at the
gate.
“If we do not use Senegal (the
incident) as an example, it will happen elsewhere. There must be a
disincentive for that,” said Rep. Nnenna Elendu-Ukeje who chairs the
Foreign Affairs committee.
