ABUJA, Nigeria: Human rights lawyer and activist Frank Tietie has called on the Federal Government to urgently intervene in the growing cases of financial fraud and discriminatory practices faced by Nigerian traders in China.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, Tietie warned that the continued mistreatment of Nigerian importers could strain diplomatic and trade relations between Nigeria and China. He detailed several troubling cases, including that of two Nigerian traders—Okonkwo Ijeoma and Mudasiru Jimoh—who reportedly lost N60 million in a botched currency exchange transaction.
According to Tietie, the traders had paid the equivalent in Naira to a Chinese national based in Nigeria, expecting their supplier in China to receive the funds in Yuan. However, the goods were never delivered, and the money was subsequently frozen by Chinese authorities over suspicions of money laundering.
Tietie accused the Zhe Jiang Shang Yu Police Station in China of arbitrarily freezing accounts without due process, leaving legitimate Nigerian businesses financially stranded. He also criticized Nigerian institutions, including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), for failing to offer adequate support to citizens involved in international trade.
In a related development, Chinese business consultant Jiang Xia recounted his own experience, stating he lost nearly $1 million under similar circumstances. He condemned China’s legal system for failing to distinguish between genuine business transactions and illicit activity, thereby harming innocent entrepreneurs.
Tietie urged the Nigerian government to initiate diplomatic engagement with China to demand transparent investigations and to implement policies that safeguard the interests of Nigerian traders abroad.
“We need diplomatic intervention to stop the financial injustice our people are facing in China,” he stated.
He further emphasized the need for robust bilateral mechanisms to ensure Nigerian businesspeople are treated fairly and their commercial interests protected.
By Taiwo Olatinwo/ May 4, 2025
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