In a statement released by one of the students, Okoriko Maxwell, he gave an account of the events that led to their action citing the nonchalant attitude towards one of their mates who was in dire need of medical assistance.
The statement reads: “We were angry because the executives of the students visited the embassy for dialogue, we also put calls through to the Consular notifying them that two students needed serious medical attention but the embassy refused to take any action or come to their aid even as they await operation.
“The embassy in a recent meeting represented by the Consular and Deputy Head of Missions promised that we should give them one week to contact the head of education in the Niger Delta Scholarship Office which we did but they have till date refused to give us the feedback. Mr. Raymond Ekpobodo on the 28th of January 2013 gave the embassy the sum of 442,971.62 rubles (more than 13 thousand dollars) belonging to the students as the remains of funds used in paying students tuition fee. This money was received by the consular.
“According to Mr. Raymond Ekpobodo, he was trusted by the former head of education in the programme, Mr. Patterson Ogon, to help him and pay stipends of students after which the receipt for the payment be given to the embassy because the man who was supposed to coordinate the students according to the former head of education did not meet the requirements of being awarded a contract, the embassy promised to add some money to the existing one which will be used for payment of students’ stipends, but for more than nine months, the embassy never accounted for this money even when we told them that we have not paid for medical insurance. We therefore demanded for this money to enable us take two of our students to the hospital which they never provided. Heaven can bear us witness that we have met with the embassy.”
“We tabled our problems for four time but they never bring this money to save the lives of these two students who are still unable to attend classes because of their ill-health.
“We destroyed the furniture in the embassy because, we saw the billboard of the Sokoto state governor very large in the reception hall of the embassy, as civilized students, we see it as betrayal, unpatriotic and uncalled for to hang the portrait of Governor Aliyu Wamako on the wall of the conference hall of the embassy.
“The Defence Attache of the Nigerian mission in Russia, Air Commodore OluRotimi A. Ogunjobi who was the only principal officer pleaded with us the students and did his best by giving us evacuation fee to enable us vacate the premises and transport ourselves home. In that regards, we decided to live the embassy, five students have already left as we were all about to live back to the school. But to our greatest Surprise, a group of police men numbering up to 30 and above drove in through the back door of the embassy, they forcefully arrested us into the police BLACK MARIA VAN, we were then 16 because five persons already left the embassy. That was why every news headline only accounts for 16.”
“The police released us after confirmation from the Rector of the university that we the affected students have no records of hooliganism, or any traceable crime record with the university coupled with the efforts and attestation of Patriotic Nigerians for our outstanding records since our arrival in the Russia Federation on the 17th of March 2011. We were released after 19 hours under detention.
“We appeal to the office to contact the University for Further Investigation about some false allegations which was directed against us. We are proud to state here that we have never exempted ourselves from school and the university is our witness.
“We therefore appeal to the president of the federal republic of Nigeria to terminate the appointment of Amb. Assam Ekanem Assam. He is unprofessional and lacks managerial qualities, apart from the fact that he relegated the embassy to the status of a police post.” Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
d ambassador shld b sack. he is a politician 4rm eket in akwa ibom state. he lack d skill 2 hold such office, a square peg in a round hole, he has always been a controversial being.GEJ shld act fast 2 protect d country's image. i pity those students.
ReplyDeleteSo what was there excuse for breaking the furniture bad behaviour is bad behaviour
ReplyDeleteTheir action in damaging furniture is indeed bad behavior but our government have this unholy attitude of abandoning its' own in a foreign land, too bad.
ReplyDeleteThe system is corrupt! Very corrupt! In fact when I read the previous article about this students, I did not rush to conclusion cz I know their stipends might had been spent by some corrupt elements in the system thou I had no proof but considering the way and manners the country is been governed its the norm, I believe this guys although they would have handled the situation other ways by not destroying the embassy furnitures.
ReplyDeleteKingsley kuku running his mouth, the billion naira house he built in Alagbaka Akure, Ondo State. Where does he get money to finance it? So many funds are been diverted to private use so don't let us rush in condemning this guys okay! cz we have so many condemned leaders among us. Mike
I very much believe the students' story, even that their action is condemnable, they were provoked into carrying out the attack. I say so, because I know what the Nigerian Embassy staff in Moscow do, I schooled there and our experience with the embassy authoriy is exactly as narrated by these students. The embassy staff are not there to serve the interest of Nigeria or Nigerians, but indulge in all sorts of businesses, using money meant to pay students' stipends. You may be attacked right in front of the embassy, but they can never open the embassy gate for you to seek refuge. May be only the Niger-Delta students are fit enough to really go that lenght of fighting the embassy staff - so be it!!.
ReplyDeleteTwo wrongs cannot make a right. A peaceful protest should not include causing damages to furniture and other items.
ReplyDeleteHowever, the FG should take its responsibility seriously. A serious government will not take its citizens abroad and abandon them there. It can only happen in a place called Nigeria.
The scholarship of students abroad does not only include school fees. There are many other fees involved and topmost is health care. Russia is not Nigeria. There are rules guiding health care provision and services are not free for foreigners.
The FG should wake up and take its responsibility seriously abroad.
Bad behavior cant hide under a sheep's skins. they left the substance to pursue shadows. I think, even the two ill students whose cause they are trying to fight for wont be happy over such Juvenile acts.
ReplyDeleteHowever, i want suggest that the Ambassador be relieved of his job because, if it were to be his children, he wont consult anybody before taking actions.
Why is no one asking questions like. What's the need of granting scholarship to study abroad by the Niger Delta government or what they call themselves instead of allowing the successful students study in nigeria. That's one of the greatest way of approving money laundering as to enrich themselves. Lets call a spade a spade, the Ambassador did wrong but the students would have used placards to justify their claims than destroying things which the embassy will still inflate the cost of repairs tomorrow. God help us
ReplyDeleteIf you are in their shoes, you will do more than what they have done. If they still continue to endure it, nobody will know what they are going through. "suferring in silence" or "suffering and smilling" will not help them. They will die in silence. If it was the children of the embassy staff or one of their girl friend is in need like these ones, will they neglect them? Secondly, if the government decided not to pay the salaries of the embassy workers won't they protest or go on strike?
ReplyDeleteNext time the guys -(students) are not suppose to destroy the items in the office because you have open another avenue for them to embezzle more money in the process of replacing those items. Next time just try and catch one of the prominent staff possibly the ambassador himself and beat him to coma or stupor so that his inanity or senselessness and insensitivity in him will vapourise if he is able to recover. He is not representing us- Nigeria. He is only representing his pocket and his god-father who worked out the appointment for him. He is in position of power but lacks or knows nothing about the responsibilities of that office as an ambassador.
But y must our govt send them abroad to study?why not make our environmEnt condusive enough for those students to study in?
ReplyDeletejust becouse u see Picture of a Northern Governor ? U must be animals
ReplyDelete