Reps set to Investigates alleged cases of human rights violations and abuses on Nigerians in China
– OFFICE OF THE CHAIRMAN,HOUSE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND MEMBER REPRENTING GOMBI/ HONG FEDERAL CONSTITUENCY OF ADAMAWA STATE
Members of the Joint Committee set up by the House of Representatives to investigate alleged cases of human rights violations and abuses on Nigerians visiting or living in China today met in Abuja.
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Speaking to members of the Joint Committee at the meeting,its Chairman,Rt. Hon. Yusuf Buba Yakub ,called on Members to take a dispassionate look at the issue at hand, especially, against the backdrop that Nigeria and China enjoy diplomatic and other relations at the levels of country, Parliament and the people,which have been of mutual benefits.
The Gombi/ Hong Rep,who is also the Chairman,House Committee on Foreign Affairs, used the occasion to inform Members that the task before them was to seek ways to use the instrumentality of the Parliament to engage the Chinese Parliament and to advise the Nigerian Government on the way forward on the issues at stake.
In his words,Rt. Hon. Buba said::
“As we all are aware,the case before us is that of alleged rights violations and abuses ,which are against international conventions and protocols entered among countries of the world through the instrumentality of the United Nations and other Charters that deal with the subject of human rights, freedom of movement,including that of goods and services among peoples of all regions and races of the world.
” To bring this home,Nigeria and China have enjoyed diplomatic and other relations that predate our Independence and span various spheres of life. We have related on the basis of Government -to- Government, Parliament- to- Parliament, People-to- People and others. These relations have over the years birthed Foreign Direct Investments( FDI),State Visits, Technology Transfer, Cultural Exchanges and Provision of Services, including capacity- building and skill- acquisition Trainings
” At the level of the continent,Nigeria( as part of Africa and,indeed,the West African Sub- region) shares the membership of many international groups, Organisations and Associations with China. One of the groups is Forum of China and Africa Cooperation ( FOCAC) ,Afroasian Cooperation and many others through which the both countries have enjoyed Cooperation, Friendship, Collaboration and Progress.
” It is, therefore, disturbing that very negative news materials, especially,on Social Media,in the very recent past have continued to emanate from a country with which we enjoy all of what I have mentioned above. This is not, however,an attempt to validate or accord the status of truth to all that we saw or continue to see on Social Media in relation to the treatment meted out on Nigerians and,indeed, Africans, visiting or living in China,but to use these materials as a basis to evaluate the tension that has resulted in the agitation for governmental action on the issue. This is what we are here to discuss today. And as expected,the Interim Report before us has presented us with some form of direction on the issues at hand,” the lawmaker said .
Addressing the media at the end of the session,Rt Hon. Buba said the Joint Committee had received inputs from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Abuja, the leadership of African People Living in China, which spoke through their Chairman,Mr. Ojukwu,and other relevant stakeholders. He said members of the Joint Committee agreed that there was need to carry out more investigations after which they would turn in their findings to the House of Representatives. He emphasised that,in spite of the fact that there were four different Committees in the Joint Committee they were working as one.
The Join Committee adjourned to a later date.
*Nkem Anyata-Lafia*
Special Adviser to the Hon. Member on Media and Public Affairs.
*May 27,2020.*