The House of Representatives on Wednesday charged the federal government to end the slavery, torture and killing of Nigerians by liaising with the Libyan government to find a solution to the menace of migration and modern day slavery. The call is sequel to the adoption of the motion sponsored by Rep. Saheed Fijabi urging the Buhari administration to Investigate the inhuman and barbaric act of slave trading involving the auctioning of black Africans in Libya. Rep.
Fijabi in his lead debate, said that African migrants from nations, including Nigeria, Guinea, Senegal, Mali, Niger and Gambia make the dangerous crossing through the Sahara Desert to Libya with hopes of making it over the Mediterranean Sea to Italy and other European countries in search of greener pastures. According to the lawmaker, on November 14, 2017, the US Television Network, CNN broke the news of the auctioning of human beings in Libya with a live footage of the auctioning process in which young men were being sold to North African buyers as potential farm hands. He added that one of the unidentified young men sold off as shown in the CNN footage for as little as $400 (₦144,000) is said to be a Nigerian in his twenties. “The footage of the auctioning of black Africans in the conflict-torn nation sparked outrage across the world with thousands of people taking to the streets of Paris, France to protest against the modern day slavery, and in reaction, the African Union, on November 17, 2017 called on the Libyan authorities to investigate the matter”, Fijabi said. Contributing to the debate, an angry Rep. Rita Orji (PDP/Lagos) expressed dismay at how Nigerians are being treated abroad and charged the Libyan government to put a stop to the slave trading. She further accused the Libyan authority of benefiting from the slave business, just as she pleaded with the federal government to care for Nigerians as is done by other countries. However, the Chairman, House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Rep. Nnenna Ukeje (PDP/Abia) spoke on efforts by the federal government to bring back frustrated and stranded Nigerians from Libya but called for adequate orientation of youth about the dangers of illegally traveling out of the country. Another lawmaker, Rep. Edward Pwajok(APC/Plateau) stated that the time has come for the government to enforce the full wrath of the law against Nigerians who engai n the trading and trafficking of humans outside the shores of the country. “This is a crime against humanity. It is good we strengthen National Agency for the Prohibition and Trafficking In Persons (NAPTIP),” said Pwajok. In his contribution, Rep. Oghene Egoh (PDP/Lagos) suggested the interrogation of officials in the Libyan Embassy in Nigeria. He further tasked the police to investigate those Nigerians already repatriated back from Libya. House Leader, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila blamed the government for its inability to provide the basic necessities of life for its citizenry. The House thereafter referred the matter to its committees on human rights and that on foreign affairs for investigation. The two committees were further mandated to interface with the ministry of foreign affairs and other relevant stakeholders to identify the factors encouraging the migrants to embark on the perilous journey, proffer solutions that would discourage same and then provide for how the Nigerian youth caught in the web would return to the country and report back in four weeks for further legislative action.
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