“I can’t breathe.” Nigerian diplomat manhandled in Indonesia

Written by BBC

Abdulrahman Ibrahim repeatedly shouted “I can’t breathe” as his head was forced against a car seat The Nigerian government has condemned an assault on one of its diplomats in Indonesia. Footage circulating on social media showed Abdulrahman Ibrahim, a consular officer based in Jakarta, being held down in a vehicle by several men. Between yells of protest, Mr Ibrahim repeated: “I can’t breathe.”

Those “manhandling” the diplomat were Indonesian immigration officials, Nigeria’s foreign ministry said in a statement. One of the officials, who was wearing a face mask, put his hand on the diplomat’s head and pushed it back against a seat. Later in the one-minute-and-30-second clip Mr Ibrahim was heard saying: “My neck, my neck.” Mr Ibrahim had been detained on a street in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta.

Nigeria’s foreign ministry sent a letter of protest to the Indonesian government saying the mistreatment Mr Ibrahim endured was “against international law and the Vienna Conventions governing diplomatic and consular relations between states”.

Indonesia’s envoy to Nigeria was also summoned on Monday over the incident and apologised on behalf of his government, the foreign ministry said. Immigration officials had also apologised to Nigeria’s ambassador to Indonesia, it added. Meanwhile Nigeria’s ambassador in Jakarta has been called home to give a full report to the government. The Nigerian authorities are saying they are now watching to see what further action Indonesia will take following the assault.