Bombing of envoy’s residence: Kabila to apologise to Nigeria
President Joseph Kabila of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is to send a delegation to Nigeria to formally apologise to President Olusegun Obasanjo over last month’s bombing of the official residence of Nigerian ambassador in Kinshasa.
The Nigerian Ambassador to the country was severely wounded in the incident.
The Southern Africa correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the DRC ambassador in Pretoria Beni Mpoko disclosed this during a get-well visit to Ambassador Onuorah Jonikul Obodozie in a Pretoria hospital where he is recuperating from injuries sustained during the attack.
Mpoko said Kabila’s delegation would formally present a letter of apology to Obasanjo on behalf of the government and people of Congo over the unfortunate incident.
The Congolese envoy expressed President Kabila’s “regrets” over the bombing of Obodozie’s residence during the March 22 fighting between militia group and government forces in Kinshasa.
Obodozie was discharged from Little Company of Mary Specialist Hospital, Pretoria, yesterday after being on admission for four weeks during which several surgeries were carried out to repair multiple lacerations to his lower leg and upper arm.
The Nigerian envoy, who still has POP on his leg and arm will remain in Pretoria for further treatment which may take three months.
“I am happy to be alive. With life there is hope”, he told NAN while leaving the hospital.
Obodozie thanked President Obasanjo and other Nigerians for their assistance, adding that he was particularly touched by the President’s show of concern.
NAN reports that the recent incident was the second time within one year in which the Nigerian mission in the DRC would be caught in a cross-fire.