Northern youth groups have strongly condemned the harassment of Nigerian
citizens by the Turkish authorities, urging President Muhammadu Buhari
government to take measures to protect the rights of citizens in the
Diaspora.
In a statement jointly signed by the
Chairman, Arewa Defence League, Murtala Mohammed, and that of Northern
Emancipation Network, Abdulazeez Suleman, the groups noted that “As
patriotic Nigerians we are worried by the developments in Turkey that led
to the harassment of innocent Nigerian students in that country.”
The groups added that “In view of this unsavory development, we wish to
state our position as follows:
We condemn in strongest terms the use of state agents to intimidate our
citizens pursuing legitimate academic careers.
“We suspect that the action of the pro-government forces in Turkey to take
out their political frustration on innocent Nigerian students is in a
desperate bid to further a controversial political agenda of expansionism.
“We were shocked by the recent account of one of the victims ─ Hassan
Danjuma Adamu who told thecable news that he was imprison in Turkey and
now suffering mental disturbance.”
The statement further that the groups were deeply touched by the recent
intimidation of innocent students, coming a few months after the
Honourable Minister of Education refused to submit to the call for the
closure of private Turkish businesses in this country.
“We find it unfathomable that all of these actions of the pro-government
forces in Turkey is coming some months after an unsuccessful propaganda
that our country’s shadow had loomed behind what is now known as a phantom
coup in that country.
“We call on the Federal Government to take appropriate measures in
ensuring that our citizens are henceforth never intimidated or harassed in
any part of the world.
“We have seen international media records of massive human rights abuses
in that country and the sustained effort to clamp down on the opposition,
notably the media, civil society, peace promoters like the Hizmet Movement
and we frown at all these. The Amnesty International report on the
situation in Turkey is alarming.
“We also commend the Honourable Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu
for not allowing our nation to be dragged into a replay of the dictatorial
schemes in Turkey by leaders who are driven by hunger for absolute power.
“Extending the expansionist designs of the Turkey regime to our nation is
unacceptable”, the groups warned.Sent from my BlackBerry 10 smartphone.