Maputo — A group of members of the Nigerian Community in Mozambique on Tuesday gathered in front of the Nigerian Embassy in Maputo, demanding an explanation for what they call "illegal detention' of 42 Nigerian Nationals.
The individuals in question were detained by the country's National Criminal Investigation Service (Sernic) during an operation aimed at dismantling a network trading in stolen vehicle parts.
"We want to know what's happening. Our Nigerian brothers were detained illegally. If they committed any crime, they must be taken to court", said one of the representatives of the Nigerian Community.
The Community has called on the embassy to communicate with Mozambican authorities so that the detentions may be clarified.
"We call for an explanation from the authorities so that our brothers may be released. We demand convincing information about their arrest", he said.
However, according to Sernic, during the operation, the Nigerian citizens were detained, not because of what they were selling, but because they were staying illegally in the country, without legal documents.
This means that they must regularize their situation or they will face deportation.
Sernic also denied reports that it only detained Nigerian nationals uring an operation, pointing out that Mozambicans had also been arrested.
It also condemned the statement by the NGO Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), which claims that the incident is "distasteful, disturbing and unacceptable, selective and xenophobic."
