House Worried Over Killings of Nigerian Students Abroad

SAN FRANCISCO, March 19, (THEWILL) - The House of Representatives Wednesday expressed worry over the incessant killings of Nigerians, particularly students studying in foreign countries, and consequently mandated its joint Committees on Diaspora, Human Rights, Foreign Affairs and Justice, to conduct a thorough investigation.

The decision followed a motion of urgent national importance by Hon.

Abike Dabiri-Erewa, in which the House expressed worry about the alarming increase in the number of Nigerians, who are seeking education abroad, but end up being murdered in mysterious circumstances.

The lawmaker in presenting the motion gave sordid statistics of the inhuman treatment meted out to Nigerians abroad.

"In Ghana, four Nigerians have been killed in the last few months.

In October, 2013, 15 year-old Austine Ogukwe, an SSS 3 student of Ideal College, Ghana died mysteriously.

Barely 26 days later, two other Nigerians, Eddy and Charles of (the) Federal University, Accra, lost their lives during an excursion as the school merely claimed they (were) drowned.

"Just two weeks ago, February 20, Godwin Ayogu, a 300 level Social Science student of University of Cape Coast, Ghana was brutally killed, and his body found on campus.

In Malaysia, the police killed Tunde Adelabu, an indigene of Ekiti State and student of Lagenda University Nilai.

Another 80 Nigerian students are currently on danger list with no intervention from our embassy in Malaysia.

"In Russia, Forester Samson, a 17 year-old Nigerian girl, was stabbed multiple times and burnt to death by yet to be identified group.

In Dubai, Toba Falode, a son of popular female sports caster, AishaFalode, was thrown out of a high rise building, while studying in SAE Institute.

In South Africa, the humiliating video of a Nigerian man stripped naked and beaten publicly by the police is still making news worldwide," she lamented.

While supporting the motion, Hon.
Sani Aliyu observed that it is the responsibility of the National Assembly to make sure that Nigerians anywhere in the world are protected.

In his own contribution, Hon.
Micah Umoh urged Nigerian foreign missions to engage host countries in ways that will protect its citizens.

To Hon.
Uzoma Abonta, "if you are in a country, play according to their rules and respect the laws of their land.

" Also, Hon.
Tobi Okechukwu, argued that if Nigerians commit any crime, the judicial process should be followed, adding that no Nigerian should be killed no matter their crime until the proper judicial order has been procured.

In her contribution, Hon.
Nnena Elendu-Ukeje blamed the situation on the inability of Nigerian embassies to properly engage their host countries diplomatically because they are grossly underfunded.

She called for improved funding of the embassies and foreign missions for them to properly protect the interest of Nigeria and Nigerians abroad.

SAINT MUGAGA, ABUJA