Presidency speaks on receiving petition from U.S

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and
Diaspora, Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa has denied receiving any petition on
a Nigerian detained by the United States, U.S, authority.

Dabiri-Erewa gave the explanation through her Media Aide, Mr
Abdur-Rahman Balogun, on Tuesday in Abuja.

Dabiri-Erewa said the attention of the Office of the Presidential Aide
had been drawn to an online publication about a Nigerian detained in
the U. S.

She said the publication entitled "Family of US detained Nigerian man
cries out, seeks FG's intervention," was false.

NAN recalls that an online medium had reported that Mr Olufolajimi
Abegunde, a Nigerian resident in Atlanta, Georgia was detained by the
U. S. authority since February.

He was accused of harbouring a friend who was allegedly involved in a
questionable financial transaction.

The report added that the detained Nigerian had sought the federal
government's intervention.

Dabiri-Erewa, however, said that the report was false as no
correspondence was received by her on the issue.

"We have checked our records and there is no such letter ever received
in our office as the Commission has not even been set up as at the
time the said petition was reportedly submitted.

"Secondly, all the line of communication is open for any public
complaint which we respond to as soon as practicable.

"The complainant or any other aggrieved Nigerian is advised to
officially channel the communication to the Secretary or Secretariat
of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission," she said.

She said that the commission could not treat any issue based on an
online report.

Dabiri-Erewa instructed that all petitions should be channelled
through ssa@diaspora.gov.ng or submitted at the office or call
+2348174383962.