FAILED CITIZEN DIPLOMACY AND THE RECURRENT ATTACKS ON NIGERIANS IN FOREIGN STATES

A FOCUS ON IGBOS IN DIASPORA

Abstract

The unwarranted grave attacks, extrajudicial killings and outright destructions of properties of Nigerian nationals across the world notably in South Africa, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, and Indonesia amongst others have become worrisome. Whereas some are victims of drug peddling, most have continued to die under extrajudicial execution by their host countries' security forces and citizens alike, a development that has now become preposterous. This paper therefore sets out to examine failed citizen diplomacy on the part of Nigerian State and the direct consequence of extrajudicial xenophobic killings of Nigerians in diaspora. Data for the study are sourced from documentary evidences and analyzed through tables and content analysis. The theory of scapegoating is employed as the theoretical framework of analysis for the paper. The study discovers that hundreds of Nigerians have been serially and extrajudicially executed in foreign states between 2015-date. It is further established that the Nigerian foreign mission, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Ministry of Foreign Affairs and indeed the Presidency have done near to nothing drastic to stem the ugly tide. Nevertheless, the paper discovers that among the victims are individuals convicted of drug trafficking in their host countries while the rest are mere victims of police brutality and xenophobia including those of Igbo origin. To this end, the paper recommends that NiDCOM, Nigerian foreign embassies, Foreign Affairs Ministry and the Presidency must take proactive steps to protect the lives and foreign investments of Nigerians abroad as enshrined in the country's foreign policy.