The Federal Government yesterday in Abuja said the authorities in Equatorial Guinea had yet to inform it about the death of two Nigerians jailed over a coup plot.

It would be recalled that the Equatorial Guinean government, in 2009, arrested seven Nigerians for allegedly being part of those that attacked the country's Presidential Palace.

The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dr Martin Uhomoibhi, disclosed that the ministry was currently investigating the death and the denial of consular access to those serving their jail terms in Equitorial Guinea.

"This is something we must verify before we make judgment and we hope that even if it's true, the Equatorial Guinean government would grant the Nigerian embassy access to these people.

"I need to verify the denial of consular access and hope that it is not true, because the Vienna Convention makes it mandatory for countries that have diplomatic relations to have consular access on matters such as their citizens whenever they are under arrest," he said.

Uhomoibhi also said that the issues were bilateral and could be addressed at several fora such as the Gulf of Guinea Commission. "We would explore all possible means to ensure that our bilateral relations remains strong and cordial".

According to him, the government in its pursuit of citizen diplomacy would remain actively engaged in seeking fair trial for Nigerians wherever the interest of its citizens are being threatened.

He, however, said that Nigeria being a democratic country would not condone coup plotting, because Nigeria wishes democratic governance for all its friendly countries.

NAN