FG demanded Immediate Release of detained Nigerian students – Foreign Affair

Abuja: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday said it was determined to ensure cases of Nigerian students experiencing any form of maltreatment in Turkey and elsewhere are urgently addressed.

The Ministry’s Spokesperson, Mr Clement Aduku, disclosed this in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja. Aduku was reacting to a report that the Federal Government had not taken appropriate actions to protect the welfare of Nigerian students in Turkey caught up in its post-coup situation. He said that contrary to the report, the leadership of the Ministry had taken series of proactive steps to adequately address the situation.

“The Ministry wishes to assure Nigerians that its leadership has ensured that adequate steps were taken here in Nigeria and in Turkey to uphold the wellbeing of Nigerian students in Turkey.

“The Ambassador of Turkey in Nigeria was summoned to the Ministry on three separate occasions during which the request for the closure of Turkish Schools was flatly rejected.

“The Ministry also rejected the option of returning students to Nigeria to obtain fresh Visas to enable them continue in the schools to which they have been transferred,” he said.

According to him the Federal Government, in addition to that, demanded immediate release of detained Nigerian students in Turkey. He stated that this position was strongly conveyed by the Charge d’Affaires of Nigeria in Ankara to the competent Turkish authorities, who had been working diligently to this end as well.

“At this point virtually all the students have been released with the demand for fresh Visas dropped as to allow the students continue with their studies unhindered,” he said.(NAN)