…want him to brief House on security of Nigerians

BY BEN AGANDE

ABUJA – Worried by reports of attacks on Nigerians and other black Africans in Libya following the overthrow of the former Libyan leader, Mouamar Ghaddafi, the House of Representatives yesterday resolved to summon the Minister of Foreign Affairs to brief members on measures taken to protect Nigerians living there.

Similarly, the House also resolved to organise a public hearing to determine why the country’s road networks nationwide have remained in deplorable conditions despite the creation of the Federal Road Maintenance Agency.

Adopting a motion sponsored by Abubakar Momoh, ACN Edo,  on the war in Libya and the need to evacuate Nigerians still trapped in the war torn country, the House noted that there was the need for the minister to brief the members on the actions being taken by the ministry to ensure that Nigerians in that country are safe.

Momoh noted that despite the early recognition of the National Transition Council by the Nigerian government, there are reported cases of Nigerians being hauled into detention in their hundreds in the emerging xenophobia in the North African country against black Africans, many of whom were alleged to be mercenaries employed by the former Gaddafi Regime.

According to him, recent reports indicated that as many as 200 Nigerians were rounded up and thrown into under ground detention facilities with little or no access to health care. “It is out responsibility to call the attention of government to this situation so that these Nigerians can be evacuated from that country,” he said.

While contributing to the motion, Emmanuel Jime, PDP Benue, said since the situation in Libya is fluid and all the facts are not available to members, there was the urgent need for the Minister of Foreign Affairs to brief the house on steps being taken to safeguard the lives of Nigerians.

Deputy Minority leader of the House, Hon. Samson Osagie wondered why the National Transitional Council in Libya could target Nigerians resident in Libya despite the early recognition granted the NTC by the Nigerian government.

To conduct public hearing on deplorable state of Nigerian roads

In another development, the House yesterday mandated its committee on FERMA to conduct a public hearing to determine why almost all the roads in the country are in deplorable condition despite the creation of the Federal Road Maintenance Agency and the huge budgetary allocation to it yearly.

Adopting a motion by Albert Sam-Tsokwa on the need to beam a searchlight on the activities of FERMA, the House noted that despite the billions of Naira appropriated to FERMA, all Nigerian roads have remained death traps.