The Youth wing of the Igbo Socio-cultural organisation, Ohaneze has submitted a list of 578 Nigerian youths detained and languishing in the Republic of Benin to the Public Petition Committee National Assembly, Abuja.
The national President of the Youth Council, Igboayaka O Igboayaka and his team presented the list of illegally arrested and detained youths by the Republic of Benin in D’Akpro Misserete & Cotonou Prison.
In a statement issued on Friday, Igboayaka recalled that earlier on 30th April 2023, the council led by him made a shocking revelation before the Public Petitions Committee of National Assembly Abuja that 5000 Nigerian youths were held captive in 13 different prisons in the Republic of Benin.
The statement read in part, “During the second Summon at Public Petition Committee hearing room National Assembly Abuja on 23rd May 2024, the House Chairman on Public Petition Committee, Mike Etaba adopted the list of 578 detainees from Ohanaeze Youth Council, (OYC) as a working document that will aid in investigation and intervention of the federal government into the matter.
“The respondent petitioned the Ministry of Foreign Affairs which pleaded for more time on 30th April 2024 during the first summon by the public petition committee to reach the Benin Republic Government.
“The Chairman of the Public Petition Committee, Mike Etaba, therefore, summoned the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to appear before the committee on the next sitting, for quick feedback concerning the letter they claimed to have written to Benin Republic to get the actual numbers of Nigerians in Republic of Benin prison.
He said, ”Nigerian Youths who are doing their legitimate business are facing the Republic of Benin and urged the Committee to speed into action to rescue the innocent youths that are in excruciating agony in the Republic of Benin Prisons.
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