The attack on the African nationals took a diplomatic turn on Thursday after Nigeria summoned the Indian envoy demanding immediate action against those who were part of the attack that took place on March 27 in Greater Noida.
News reports from Lagos suggested that Nigeria had registered that its nationals were repeatedly targeted in apparent racist attacks and that the perpetrators of the latest attack should be arrested and prosecuted.
Reports said that the Indian High Commissioner Nagabhushana Reddy was summoned by senior diplomat Olushola Enikanolaiye to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nigeria to explain the incident in which four Nigerian students were beaten up by a mob during a candle-light march for a 17-year-old Indian boy, who died of suspected drug overdose last week in Greater Noida.
Mr. Enikanolaiye demanded “diligent prosecution” against the perpetrators so that it serves as a deterrent to others in the future.
“And we want to see diligent prosecution so that it would serve as a deterrent to those who think they can take laws into their hands and harass students who are going about their studies. That is why we felt we should register our concern to you on this occasion, and to please ask your government to take effective measures that this does not occur again,” Mr. Enikaolaiye was quoted as saying by a Nigerian news outlet.
Mr. Reddy responded by citing India’s condemnation of the incident and said that the attack was “deplorable.”
This is the second time in less than a year that the attack on African nationals in India has become a diplomatic problem for New Delhi. Last year African diplomats threatened a boycott of official celebrations after a Congolese national was killed in Delhi.