Nigeria’s government on Monday summoned a representative of
the the U.S. ambassador to explain reported remarks by President Donald Trump
that immigrants from Africa and Haiti come from “shithole countries”, the
foreign ministry said.
Foreign Minister Geoffrey Onyeama “sought clarification on
the veracity or otherwise of the substance of the remarks, stressing that if
they were true, they were deeply hurtful, offensive and unacceptable”, the
ministry said in a statement.
Trump reportedly made the remarks at a private meeting with
lawmakers on immigration on Thursday. A U.S. senator who attended the gathering
said the president used “vile, vulgar” language, including repeatedly using the
word “shithole” when speaking about African countries.
The Nigerian foreign ministry statement noted the “very warm
and cordial relations that presently exist” between Nigeria and the U.S.
The United States, represented by Deputy Chief of Mission
David J. Young as the ambassador was not in Nigeria, said there were
contradictory accounts as to whether the remarks were made, the statement said.
In a separate statement, a U.S. embassy spokesman said Young
“reiterated the excellent relations that exist between the United States and
Nigeria and they discussed future cooperation between the two countries”.
The U.S. president on Friday denied using such derogatory
language. But he has been widely condemned in many African countries and by
international rights organisations. African Union countries demanded an apology
on Friday.
REUTERS
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