By Haruna Salami
The Senate has urged the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, to investigate the maltreatment and torture of Nigerians by foreign nationals living in Nigeria.
The call was made amid its resolutions on a motion entitled, “urgent need to check the alarming trend of inhuman treatment and torture of Nigerian citizens by foreign nationals in the country”.
The motion was sponsored by Senator Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo (Bayelsa East). Presenting the motion, the lawmaker noted that in a bid to get a confession from victims alleged to have stolen iron rods, a Lebanese ordered some of his Nigerian subordinates to gag the mouths of one Mr. Anayo Friday Ndubuisi and the late Chadian with rags to stifle any noise from them.
According to him, they were beaten mercilessly with iron rods, tied to a car and driven round their premises. “The Lebanese also set his dog upon the victims and the said dog attacked them”, Biobarakuma said.
He lamented that, “the second Nigerian (a security personnel), on trying to defend and absolve Anayo Friday Ndubuisi from any allegation whatsoever was shot with an arrow, thereby leading to grievous bodily harm; “Aware that some suspects have been arrested and paraded by officers of the Nigeria Police Force in connection with this nauseating crime against humanity but without the Lebanese being equally apprehended or paraded;
“Surprised that certain insinuations have been made by some concerned security authorities involved in the matter that since the late Chadian was an illegal migrant, little or nothing can be done about the case;
“Aware that the administration of criminal justice system provides protection for foreigners such as the late Chadian irrespective of his migration status; and
“Alarmed about the despicable level of gross subjugation of Nigerians in their own country by some foreign nationals, noting that this type of incident has become one too many and must be urgently checked to preserve sanctity and dignity of human life at all times in accordance with our bill of rights as enshrined in chapter 4 of our constitution and other international conventions and protocols, bearing in mind that even in the animal kingdom, there are salient rules for hunting game”.
Accordingly, the Senate in its resolution condemned in the strongest of terms the dastardly acts committed against the victims. It called on the Inspector General of Police to commence thorough investigations into the acts of the said Lebanese in question, his dog and similar infractions by other foreign nationals, acting by themselves or in collusion with Nigerians or members of the Nigeria Police Force.
The Chamber demanded the prosecution of those found culpable in accordance with the provisions of the law to serve as a deterrent to others.
It urged the Ministry of Labour and related MDAs to take adequate steps to address the labour-related issues in respect of the case and similar ones to ensure that the rising trend of crime and criminality is curbed.
Speaking with journalists after the plenary, Senator Degi-Eremienyo said the primary responsibility of any government, the world over, especially democratically instituted government, is the welfare and security of the people.He said a situation where our people are being treated as “slaves” was unacceptable.
