Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama.
Nigeria on Tuesday condemned as “ extremely distressing ” and “unacceptable ” accounts that Nigerian citizens in China had been maltreated because of the coronavirus pandemic
“ There were videos circulating on social media of very disturbing scenes and incidents involving Nigerians in the city of Guangzhou , ” Foreign Minister Geoffrey Onyeama said during a meeting with Chinese Ambassador Zhou Pingjian in his office in Abuja .
Onyeama said it appeared that Nigerians were being discriminated against at hotels and restaurants and being stigmatised as supposed carriers of COVID - 19 .
“ We saw images of Nigerians in the streets with their possessions and this was of course extremely distressing for us at home , ” he said.
He said the situation was “ unacceptable ” to Nigeria ’s government and people , and needed “ immediate action ” from the Chinese authorities .
The ambassador said Beijing was taking the issues the minister raised “ very seriously ” and said China would continue to foster cordial ties with Nigeria.
The conversation came after accusations of discrimination in the southern city of Guangzhou linked to the coronavirus pandemic .
Africans there say they have become targets of suspicion and subjected to forced evictions , arbitrary quarantines and mass coronavirus testing , particularly as Beijing steps up its fight against imported infections .
The US fast - food chain McDonald ’ s has apologised over a sign in one of its restaurants in Guangzhou telling black people they were banned from entering .
The African Union on Saturday expressed its “ extreme concern” about the situation in Guanghzou and called on Beijing to take immediate corrective measures .
On Sunday , as international pressure mounted , the foreign ministry in Beijing issued a statement saying the country attached “great importance to the life and health of foreign nationals” and rejected all “ racist and discriminatory ” remarks
The coronavirus which broke out in China last December has infected 343 and claimed 10 lives in Nigeria.
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