The Chinese government has responded to the allegations that followed a trending video shown Nigerians being shoved about in front of a hotel in Chinese city of Guangzo days ago.
The Beijing diplomatic response was two-part: one was way off the mark and the other was a third-party (a Nigerian) account.
But both served the purpose of calming down angry Nigerian authorities, including Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila who recently confronted Zhao Lijian, China’s ambassador to Nigeria, with the video.
In the third-party account, a Nigerian living in China explained that her compatriots seen in the video just returned to the Chinese city where they were placed in isolation.
According to Zara Oyinye who made a post which the Chinese government cited, the main reason movement by Nigerians was being restricted was because many of them were just returning to China.
“Before the Chinese borders were closed, many Nigerians have also entered China to do business, the Chinese government then asked that they be kept in isolation, until they have been tested after 14 days of the quarantine,” she wrote.
“The Chinese government would lead them by themselves to a particular hotel in Guangzo, China as every other hotel have been instructed not to allow any *foreigner* into their rooms.”
“For those kept in isolation, health workers are also instructed to test and check their temperatures every morning and if after 14 days, you are tested negative to the virus, you’ll be released and free to go about your daily business.”
“Just before the conclusion of 14 days…there were suspected cases of three people but two were discharged due to the fact that they were diagnosed with Typhoid and malaria…while only one person had the virus.”
She stated that the one diagnosed with the virus refused to get treated as he was accusing the health workers of attempting to infect him with the virus.
“He even had to hit a nurse on her face and she got injured,” she stated.
She said Chinese government workers there got angry but then the chairman of Nigerian business men in China came and pleaded and asked that the boy be treated. The officials reportedly agreed but said he would be deported after treatment.
The discovery of an African with Covid-19 made the authorities more interested in testing more Africans.
“They had to check every eatery in Guangzo, China where Nigerian dishes were prepared to search for Nigerians as tests were now carried out on all black people and foreigners.”
“A discovery was made of an eatery where a woman who prepared mostly Nigerian dishes just returned from home and refused to self isolate and yet have already been preparing food for people…she was then tested and she was positive with the virus.”
She said this led to the lock down of all local black eateries in Guangzo town alone.
“The woman was then taken for treatment and other blacks were highly monitored because if she had been preparing food for them…then there must likely (be) a case of where she must have transmitted the virus.
She narrated that a news was then passed for everyone to remain indoors while health workers would go about testing people from door to door.
“Health workers then went about from door to door to test persons for the virus and if found Negative, you’d be given a card with which you’d carry around in order to enter any facility.”
“Nigerians at the hotel started ravaging and kept shouting that they should be set free for they can’t be kept locked up for more than 14 days.”
“Some even had to force their way through and exit the hotel.”
She said there was an order that anyone who leaves the hotel premises should not be allowed to come back in but yet Nigerians left to the market and when they returned, they weren’t allowed to go in.
“This was what caused the clustering at the front of the hotel and they begin to spread false news that the Chinese government have denied them access to their homes and residences…and are being asked to leave.”
She insisted many Nigerians disobeyed the “sit at home” law and were no where to be found when health workers visited their homes for testing.
Those who stayed indoors were all tested and given cards and till date have no issues with accommodation or the Chinese government, Oyinye added
Officially, the Chinese ambassador, in a statement, explained how China and Africa are good friends, partners and brothers and (China) will not allow humiliation of Africans.
The statement reads like a book of record of all the good deeds–from Ebola to Covid-19, and donations and supplies– Beijing has done for Africa and Nigeria.
“Our friendship is forged on the basis of joint efforts to seek national independence, liberation, economic development and better livelihood in the past decades.
Lijian promised China will always welcome Africa, and that his government won’t tolerate abuse of Africans.
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