The House of Representatives has urged the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to urgently investigate the alleged assault of two Nigerian students by eight people in India.
The decision was sequel to a motion by Rep. Mohamed Pali (APC-Bauchi) which was unanimously adopted at Thursday’s plenary presided over by the Speaker, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila.
Moving the motion earlier, Pali said the students were allegedly assaulted in Roorkee Institute of Technology on July 15, 2020 by a mob as called by the administrators of the school.
The lawmaker said the assault followed a disagreement with payment for food at the college canteen.
He said that “the students’ problem started after they could not pay for their food in the school canteen and sought permission from the administrators to go out and eat at their friend’s house.
“But the administrators refused to grant them permission.
“The students only went to eat at their friend’s place and upon return, the college administrators called the school security and other people to beat them up,” he said.
The rep expressed concern that the students had been hospitalised.
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He added that the eight suspects and the school security guards had been arrested by the Indian police in relation to the assault.
The house called on the Nigerians Diaspora Commission to urgently investigate the remote cause of the assault students and to check on their present health condition and report back within two weeks.
The green chamber urged the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Geoffrey Onyeama, to send a strong message to his Indian counterpart conveying the Nigerian Government’s disappointment.
The house also urge its leadership to confront the Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria immediately.
