House of Representatives members have resolved to probe the legality of Chinese nationals in Nigeria for possible repatriation to their country.
At the resumed plenary on Tuesday April 28, after about five weeks of recess due to the outbreak of Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the country, the lawmakers considered a motion on the “Maltreatment and Institutional Acts of Racial Discrimination against Nigerians Living in China by the Government of China” which was sponsored by Benjamin Kalu, Yusuf Buba, John Dyegh, Babajimi Benson, Tunji Olawuyi, Zakari Galadima, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, Nnoli Nnaji, Dennis Idahosa, and Tolu Shadipe.
The House Committees on Interior, Nigeria Content Development, Monitoring and Commerce were directed to take up the assignment, as well as investigate the Nigeria Immigration Service, Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Nigerian Content and Development Monitoring Board, and any other relevant Ministry, Department or Agency (MDA), for the validity of all immigration documents of every Chinese national in Nigeria.
The expatriate quota of all the Chinese businesses in Nigeria will also be investigated, to ascertain the number of illegal and undocumented immigrants in the country and ensure they were repatriated to China to regularise.
While the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice and all relevant MDAs were urged to provide necessary financial and other assistance to affected Nigerians who wish to seek redress in any local or international court for breach of fundamental rights, loss of property or any other actionable cause occasioned by their maltreatment or discrimination in China, the house committees on Inter-Parliamentary Relations, Foreign Affairs, Human Rights and Diaspora were told to ascertain the extent of violation of rights of Nigerians in China, as well as losses arising from such maltreatments.
It is expected that the Chinese Parliament will be engaged appropriately to state Nigeria’s National Assembly’s condemnation of the discrimination against Nigerians and to ensure the cessation of such actions by its people and government. Members of the house who were saddled with various responsibilities, were asked to report back within two weeks for further legislative action.