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Indian High
Commissioner to Nigeria, Amb. Nagabushana Reddy (2nd left) summoned by Ministry of Foreign
Affairs officials. Image source: TheCable
|
The Federal Government on
Wednesday asked Indian Government to ensure the immediate arrest and
prosecution of those responsible for attacks of Nigerian students in an Indian
university.
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| Some of the injured Nigerian students. Image source: Daily Trust |
The
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Olushola
Enikanolaiye, made the call in Abuja at a meeting on the issue with the Indian
High Commissioner to Nigeria, Amb. Nagabushana Reddy.
The
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that four Nigerian students were attacked
by a mob during a candle-light march for a 17-year-old Indian boy, who died of
suspected drug overdose.
It
was alleged that Nigerians masterminded the death of the boy.
Enikanolaiye
said the call for the prosecution of culprits was necessary to serve as a
deterrent to others and to forestall future occurrences.
He
said that the High Commissioner was invited to register the Federal
Government’s concern over the incident.
Enikanolaye
said that contrary to the report that Nigerians masterminded the boy’s death,
the boy who was said to be on drugs and must have had an overdose of it which
might have led to his death in a hospital.
“It
is therefore, a concern to us that Nigerian students in that place were
harassed, beaten up and many of them were seriously injured.
“We
think this should not have happened considering the excellent relationship
between two of us — the two countries have things in common and have been great
friends.”
According
to him, the concern of the ministry is that such a matter should not be allowed
to affect the relationship between the two countries.
He
expressed concern that the incident was not the first of its kind as Nigerians
had been attacked in the past by Indians.
“This
is not the first time this would happened; Nigerians have suffered similar
attack in the past; so, what we will like to see on this occasion is that the
perpetrator should be arrested.
“And
we want to see diligent prosecution so that it would serve as a deterrent to
those who think they can take laws into their hands and harass students who are
going about their studies.
“That
is why we felt we should register our concern to you on this occasion, and to
please ask your government to take effective measures that this does not occur
again.”
In
his response, the High Commissioner described the incident as deplorable.
Reddy
said that the Indian Minister of External Affairs had already issued a
statement condemning the incident.
He
said that security operatives had been deployed to the area where the incident
occurred, to ensure peace and safety of Nigerians and other foreigners.
The
envoy said that five of the seven accused persons had been arrested while
security operatives were on the trail of the remaining two.
He,
therefore, appealed to foreigners in the country to be calm with an assurance
that the government was committed to their safety.
“The
government is determined to see that justice is done,” the High Commissioner
said.
Meanwhile,
Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on
Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, has advised Nigerians in India to remain
calm and be watchful of their surroundings.
Dabiri-Erewa,
in a statement in Abuja on Wednesday, condemned the renewed attacks on some
Nigerian students in India, describing it as “deplorable and unwarranted”.
She
urged the Indian government to ensure that any suspect was promptly arrested
and prosecuted.
The Presidential aide urged the Indian Government to protect Nigerian students in that country.
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