The Minister of State 1 for Foreign Affairs, Prof. Viola Onwuliri, has demanded an unreserved apology from the Egyptian Government over the maltreatment of a 17-year-old Nigerian by Egypt Air.
Onwuliri summoned the Egypt Ambassador to Nigeria, Ashraf Salama, to formally lodge a protest over the treatment meted out to Joshua Abdul-Azeez by the flag carrier airline of Egypt.
The minister, who was visibly angry, said it was “child-abuse” for Egypt Air to have made a young Nigerian to stay without food for three days, after wrongly routing his air ticket.
She said it was unacceptable that Egypt Air had failed to respond to repeated enquiries from the Nigeria Embassy in Cairo on what led to the inhuman treatment of the Nigerian.
The Nigerian authorities had sought explanation from the airline on reports that the Nigerian passport of the 17-year-old Nigerian was torn to shreds by a staff of Egypt Air in Istanbul, Turkey.
Onwuliri expressed dismay that the Egyptian ambassador’s initial reaction to the issue was to question the authenticity of Nigerian media reportage on the Nigerian who was treated like “a common criminal” by Egypt Air.
She said: “Egypt and Nigeria are friendly countries and they have built this friendship over the years, but I don’t think we should allow things like this to happen.
“You (the ambassador) are worried about four pages of newspaper report on the issue, but I am surprised that you are not worried that a Nigerian passport was torn by an official of Egypt Air.
“I am surprised that you are not worried that a young boy, a Nigerian citizen, was left without food and water by an airline operated by your government.
“I am really surprised at you Mr. Ambassador.”
Onwuliri told the ambassador that the Nigerian government would not hesitate to demand compensation for the citizen when it concludes investigation on the matter.
She added: “One Nigerian citizen is important to us and part of our multi-track diplomacy is that every Nigerian everywhere must be fully accounted for.
“The young boy in question was going back to school in Ukraine and he complained here that he was issued the wrong ticket.
“Did you (Egypt Air) employ people who cannot read tickets and issue correct codes even after complaints?”
Onwuliri, therefore, demanded a formal explanation from the Egyptian Government, which has 100 per cent control of Egypt Air.
In his defence, the Egyptian ambassador earlier blamed the Nigerian media for escalating a “small incident” involving a Nigerian passenger and Egypt Air.
Salama said that a Nigerian newspaper devoted four pages on the issue.
He said the embassy had contacted the Egypt Air and his home government on the incident but had yet to receive a formal report.
He said: “We have respect for our Nigerian brothers and if this incident really happened, we will see who is responsible and punish accordingly.
“But we must investigate and verify the credibility of the news report on the issue before we make a judgment.”
Salama called for restrain from the Nigerian authorities on the issue, saying: “I do not think this incident should escalate so much to affect our good relations built over the years.
“We have been supporting and standing by each other and I think we should continue that way.”
Salama told the foreign minister that so many Nigerians travel to Egypt every day, adding: “We have 16 flights daily and seven daily flights from Cairo to Abuja.”
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