The House of Representatives decided on Thursday to ask Yusuf Tuggar, the foreign affairs minister, and Abike Dabiri-Erewa, the head of the Nigeria Diaspora Commission, to discuss the steps being taken to address the mistreatment of Nigerians in Addis Abeba, Ethiopia.
The resolution was passed after a motion on the mistreatment and forced detention of Nigerians, especially air travelers, in Addis Abeba, Ethiopia, was cosponsored by the minority leader of the House, Kingsley China (Rivers, PDP), and 10 other members.
Abdussamad Dasukki, Laori Kwamoti Bittrus, Aliyu Madaki, Unyime Idem, Nkwonta Chris, Abbas Adogun, Kabiru Ahmadu, Ibe O. Osonwa, Ginger Onwusibe, and Kelechi Nwogu are additional sponsors of the motion.
Chinda, while moving the motion alleged that one Paul Ezike in a “save our soul message” circulated a message at the instance of a Nigerian allegedly arrested and put in Ethiopia prison.
He said some Nigerians are currently serving at the Chaota Maximum Security and other prisons in Ethiopia most of whom are travellers that use the Ethiopian Airport as a transit point where they are indiscriminately arrested at the Ethiopia Airport in Addis Ababa, taken to the hospital and forcefully injected with some substances and later taken to the prison facilities.
According to him, Nigerians in Addis Ababa and all over the world and their air travellers should be protected and should be accorded the same protection Nigeria gives to foreigners who live in Nigeria.
He said further that about 250 Nigerians are currently serving prison terms in Ethiopia as a result of frequent attacks and may die in prison if urgent steps are not taken to save them.
He explained that these Nigerians are not only poorly treated but are also subjected to very agonizing conditions, poor feeding and without medication.
He expressed worries that if early interventions and diplomatic measures are not taken by the Nigerian Government to check the incessant attacks on Nigerian in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and air travelers would be at risk.
The House while adopting the motion mandated the Committees on Diaspora and Foreign Affairs to invite the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the NiDCOM chairman to brief them on the preventive measures taken to protect Nigerians and air travelers to Addis Ababa and report back within three weeks for further legislative action.
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