The Senate Leader described the report on the alleged killing and detention of Nigerians in Ethiopia as disturbing considering that there was no legal basis in the provision of international courts, to which Nigeria and Ethiopia are signatories.
The Senate has ordered for an immediate investigation of the alleged incarceration and detention of 250 Nigerians in Ethiopia.
The call followed the adoption of a motion on the “Urgent Need to Investigate the Unlawful Killings and Incarceration of over 250 Nigerians in Ethiopia,” co-sponsored by Senator Simon Mwadkwon and Senator Victor Umeh (LP, Anambra Central) at Wednesday’s plenary.
Debating the motion, Mwadkwon urged the Senate to immediately intervene in the crisis and conduct a thorough investigation into the cause of the imprisonments.
According to a report by one Dr. Paul Ezike, currently circulating on social media, over 250 Nigerians are being tortured in Ethiopia without committing any offense. It called on the Nigerian government to intervene.
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Mwadikwon, who bemoaned the report, stressed that there is no evidence of any court proceedings stating the categories of crimes they have committed or any court conviction in that regard.
“At the moment, based on the sovereignty of this country and the sanctity of the lives and property of all Nigerians all over the world as captured in the Nigerian Constitution, there is no justification whatsoever for taking away the dignity of any person, let alone taking away the life of a citizen.
“It’s pathetic that a nation as populous as Nigeria, its citizens being held in captivity in the 21st century, where the call is for unity but, Ethiopia has chosen a shallow path to maltreat citizens of Nigeria without any justification as shown in the video,” the Senate Leader stated.
Speaking on the motion, Senator Mohammed Monguno said, “All hands must be on deck by all arms of government – the executive and legislature in particular. This ugly scenario should be investigated and the interest of our citizens wherever they may be should be jealously guarded and protected.”
On his part, Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, who recounted several discriminations Nigerians face in other countries, directed the Senate Committees on Diaspora and Foreign Affairs in conjunction with the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs to investigate alleged unlawful killings and incarceration of Nigerians in Ethiopia.
The committee is expected to report its findings in two weeks.
