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Monday, August
31, 2009
Group tasks Amnesty International
over stranded Nigerians in Libya, Morocco
From Alemma-Ozioruva Aliu, Benin
OWING to the
seeming abandonment by Nigerians facing death penalties in Libya and
Morocco, the Benin National Congress (BNC), a socio-cultural organisation
based in Edo State has appealed to the Amnesty International to intervene
in the matter.
The group also condemned the
apparent silence of the Governors' Forum over the incident, saying that it
was the activities of the political class that had brought the country to
this poor economic state that made some of these victims to seek greener
pastures abroad.
In an open letter by the group's
President and Secretary General Aiyamenkhue Edokpolo and Osazee Erhiamatoe,
it called for the release and repatriation of the Nigerians.
"We strongly believe that
given your very credible profile of sustained dedication to the cause of
the dejected, displaced, condemned and war-ravaged peoples all over the
world, it has become expedient to solicit same for the sake of our Nigerian
people whose fate has been compounded by the ambiguous cooperation between
Nigeria's Foreign Affairs Ministry and the Libyan authorities for well over
one month.
"We plead that the government
and people of Libya and Morocco should be kind enough to reframe from acts
capable of escalating the humanitarian crisis like the allegations of rape,
robbery and assault on the detainees and other law-abiding Nigerians
resident in their respective countries," the statement read.
The letter which was copied to the
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Abuja, the Governors' Forum, Council of
Traditional Rulers of Nigeria, Edo Leaders Assembly and the Nigeria Union
of Journalists reads: "While we commend the leadership of the House of
Representatives, especially the Abike Dabiri Committee, we are respectfully
disappointed that the Forum of Governors has been very silent and seemingly
insensitive to the plight of the thousands of Nigerians whom are victims of
years of misrule perpetuated by the political class and self-induced
immorality on the part of our youths. This plea is further predicated on
our strong belief that unless the issue is addressed in favour of the safe
return of the detainees, the consequences or fall-outs of their deaths by
hanging or any other forms of criminal execution in Nigeria will be
immeasurable as the multiplier-effect will be better imagined. This is so
because Nigerian youths will react over the killings or execution, such
actions could not be predicted."
The association promised to use its
counseling wing in its national secretariat to render counseling services
to them on their return to the country.
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