- The Nigerian government has condemned the mistreatment of Nigerian football star Victor Osimhen in Italy.
- In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Nigerian sportsmen and women in the diaspora must be treated with dignity.
The statement was made in response to a viral video that mocked Osimhen for missing a penalty kick in a football match against Bologna.
The ministry said that the matter falls under the 4Ds Strategy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which mainstreams Democracy, Development, Diaspora, and Demography as part of its outward-looking objectives.
The Diaspora component considers the life and dignity of every Nigerian in Diaspora sacrosanct and deserving of respect and dignity in accordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
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“When we go about our duties, we should always remember Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood,” the statement said.
The ministry further stated that “Napoli did not act in the spirit of brotherhood by the mocking of her star player, Victor Osimhen, who was instrumental in the team winning the Serie A Championship last season”.
The statement added that “the Nigerian government and Embassy shall continue to monitor happenings not only in Napoli but around the world on how her sportsmen and women are treated and all other citizens of the Nigerian diaspora and will waste no time in seeking redress of such mistreatments”.
