Bitter Lessons from Jakarta

Notes for File

In a video that went viral last week, a Nigerian diplomat, later identified as Abdulraham Ibrahim, was subjected to the most life-threatening, dehumanising and degrading treatment in Jakarta, Indonesia.

The Indonesian Immigration officials were seen pressing Ibrahim’s neck hard as if they wanted him dead, while he struggled and screamed “I can’t breathe,” “My neck hurts”.

However, the Indonesian envoy, Dr. Usra Hendra Harahap has told Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Geoffrey Onyeama, that Ibrahim, who was almost strangled to death, was unruly and elbowed one of them.

Harahap said the immigration officers from South Jakarta Immigration Office were carrying out surveillance on foreigners when they asked Ibrahim for identification, but Ibrahim refused to identify himself or tender his passport.

“Mr. Ibrahim was not willing to show his passport and said to the officer, ‘you will know who really, I am and be careful on that. Instead of showing his identity card, Mr. Ibrahim was angry and said, ‘Just arrest me and you will regret to know who really I am…’

“The officer said, ‘We will not detain you further sir, if you can show us your identity card.’ Then Mr. Ibrahim said, ‘Where is your car, I’ll come to your office.’

“On the way to the immigration office in South Jakarta, several incidents happened. Mr. Ibrahim elbowed the immigration officer, Mr. Laode Hauzan Baidi, who was sitting next to him until Mr. Laode’s lip was bleeding. “This led to other officers restraining him from attacking another officer during the trip,” the envoy added.

However, the account of the Indonesian envoy that Ibrahim turned violent inside a car he had requested for and voluntarily entered, did not add up.

Ibrahim could not have suddenly turned violent because there was no way he could successfully defeat the officers in a physical combat.

But what is certain is that Nigerian government officials and influential citizens, who are highly connected do not obey laws in Nigeria.

Until Nigerian top officials start subjecting themselves to Nigerian laws like ordinary citizens, this kind of account by the Indonesian envoy against Ibrahim will continue to enjoy a measure of credibility.