Following Monday’s attack on the Nigerian Embassy in Moscow, the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta has decided to withdraw the sponsorship of six of its student-delegates at the Peoples Friendship University, Moscow, Russia, that were found to be behind the condemnable act,a statement by Daniel Alabrah, head media and communications, Presidential Amnesty Programme said Wednesday.He said Twenty-four of its student-delegates are studying in the university under a special scholarship scheme for Niger Delta youths.
Reports say the incident at the Mission resulted in the arrest of 16 of the students by the Russian police.
The decision to withdraw sponsorship was announced by the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta, Hon. Kingsley Kuku, after it was discovered that the claims of the students were untrue and that the attack on the Nigerian Mission was unprovoked and a gross misconduct.
“For going on rampage and violently attacking the Nigerian Mission, these students breached the Code of Conduct for delegates on scholarship that they all signed before their departure from Nigeria. It is also a gross misconduct, which the Nigerian government cannot tolerate. Students on its sponsorship cannot go on rampage on flimsy excuses in a foreign country and damage the image and reputation of Nigeria.
“Our records show that the students were not being owed their In-Training Allowance (ITA) for six months as they alleged. In fact, the only unremitted allowance was for the month of September 2013, which had been approved and was being processed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) at the time they attacked the Mission.
“My office had communicated the students on Friday, September 27, 2013 about the processing of their ITA for the months of September and October 2013 and the need for them to be patient while it was being handled by the CBN.
“We were therefore shocked when information got to us that the delegates had invaded the embassy, destroyed property and attacked the Mission officials over unpaid allowances. This is absolutely unacceptable,” Kuku said.
The Special Adviser, who doubles as Chairman, Presidential Amnesty Programme, said the school authorities will be communicated on this development.
He equally dismissed speculations among former agitators in the Niger Delta that they will soon be paid the sum of Two Million Naira (N2m) each by the Amnesty Office.
“There is no such plan to pay any of them such amount,” Kuku said.
The rumour, he noted, had caused serious tension in some of the Niger Delta states and that his office had been inundated with unnecessary phone calls and enquiries.
