Reps Summon Abike Dabiri, Foreign Affairs Minister Over Maltreatment Of Nigerians In Ethiopia

Abike Dabiri and Yusuf Tuggar

The House of Representatives on Thursday, October 12, summoned the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar and the chairman of the Nigerians In Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri Erewa, over the ill-treatment of Nigerians in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Naija News reported that lawmakers summoned the duo to brief the House on measures being taken to protect Nigerians who have been subjected to maltreatment in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The minority leader of the House, Kingsley Chinda, and ten others moved a motion on the victimization, maltreatment and forced imprisonment of Nigerians, including air travellers, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

It was gathered that along with Chinda, the others who also moved the motion include Hon.Abdussamad Dasukki, Hon. Laori Kwamoti Bittrus, Hon. Aliyu Madaki, Hon. Unyime Idem, Hon. Nkwonta Chris, Hon. Abbas Adogun, Hon. Kabiru Ahmadu, Hon. Ibe O. Osonwa, Hon. Ginger Onwusibe and Hon. Kelechi Nwogu.

Leading debate on the motion, Chinda alleged that one Paul Ezike, in a “safe our soul message”, circulated a message at the instance of a Nigerian allegedly arrested and put in Ethiopia prison.

The lawmaker 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.

Chinda revealed 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 added that on top they are poorly treated, poorly fed and subject to untold agonies without medications.

He explained that just like Nigeria protects foreigners who live in Nigeria, Nigerians in Addis Ababa and all over the world and their air travellers should enjoy the same protection rights.

He said that the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) joined the rest of Africa to sign a remarkable Trade Agreement for the continent and the fact that Nigerians are industrious entrepreneurs and have spent years transacting business in Addis Ababa and air travellers contributing to their economy.

He said that if early interventions and diplomatic measures are not taken by the Nigerian Government to check the incessant attacks on Nigerians in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, air travellers would be at risk.