7TH NATIONAL ASSEMBLY SECOND SESSION NO. 93 164 THE SENATE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA ORDER PAPER Thursday, 17th January, 2013 1. Prayers 2. Approval of the Votes and Proceedings 3. Oaths 4. Announcements (if any) 5. Petitions PRESENTATION OF BILL 1. Federal Capital Territory Appropriation BiIl2013 (SB.232)- First Reading Sen. Victor Ndoma-Egba, CON, SAN, (Senate Leader) ORDERS OF THE DAY MOTION 1. Incessant unfair Treatment and Harassment of Nigerians in Foreign Countries: Sen. Matthew I. Nwagwu (lmo North) Sen. Victor Ndoma Egba, CON, SAN Sen. Mohammed S. Saleh Sen. Abubakar A. Bagudu Sen. James Manager Sen. Akin Odunsi Sen. Nenadi E. Usman Sen. Simeon Ajibola Sen. Ibrahim Musa Sen. Husain O. Mudashiru Sen. Ita S. Enang Sen. Zainab A. Kure Sen. Helen Esuene Sen. Chris Anyanwu Sen. Smart Adeyemi SENATE, NOTES with great concern the continued unfair treatments and harassment of Nigerians in foreign countries leading to intimidation, arrests, detention, torture, deportation and occasional deaths; NOTES that these harsh treatments meted out to our country men and women have gone on for too long and should no longer be tolerated; NOTES that our non-challant attitude as a nation towards the unfair treatment of Nigerians when they find themselves in trouble outside the shores of our country especially in the absence of proper legal representation makes our citizens vulnerable in foreign land; OBSERVES that it is not in all cases that our citizens are guilty of the offences they are alleged to have committed. NOTES that a case in point is the recent deportation of 27 Nigerians from Spain, 14 of whom were found not to be culpable for the offences for which they were deported by the Spanish authorities after thorough investigation by the combined team of officers from the Police, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) the State Security Service (SSS) and the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS); PRINTED BY NATIONAL ASSEMBLY PRESS, ABUTA 165 Thursday, 17th January 2012 93 NOTES also that it is not enough that the 14 deportees were found innocent and released to their fa~lies, . it is necessary for the relevant Nigerian authorities to demand for redress and restitution on their behalf; NOTES that there is a need for the Nigerian Government to use diplomatic channels to register our disapproval as a nation of these alleged maltreatment and wrongful deportations whether from Spain (in this instant case) or any country for that matter; CONCERNED that there are many other Nigerians in foreign lands suffering one form of unjust treatment or the other in their host countries; The case of a Nigerian student in Ukraine who was said to have defended himself with a broken bottle against 6 Ukrainian youths who allegedly attacked him at the entrance to his apartment in November 2011readily comes to mind. Right now he risks life imprisonment if convicted. His situation is made worse by the refusal of the Ukrainian Police to take his case to court on the excuse that they have not been able to get an interpreter for him; WORRIED that this harsh and unfair treatment is also being targeted at Nigerian business concerns in some African countries through unfriendly government policies; Accordingly Resolves to: i. URGE the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Nigerian Embassies across the world to be more proactive on matters affecting Nigerians in such countries whenever they are in distress; ii. URGE relevant Nigerian authorities to press for redress and restitution on behalf of the 14 deportees that were found not culpable out of the 27 deported from Spain recently; iii. URGE the Federal Government to use diplomatic channels to register our disapproval as a nation of these maltreatment and wrongful deportation from Spain (in the instant case) or any country; iv URGE relevant Government agencies to step up enlightenment to educate our citizens who must travel to do so properly and to also conduct themselves orderly in such countries; v. INVITE the Hon. Minister of Foreign Affairs to brief the Senate on the Spanish Deportation Saga and the case of the Nigerian student in Ukraine with a view to finding out what transpired and what steps to be taken or that is being taken to come to the aid of the Nigerian student; vi. URGE the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to strengthen our Consular Services in our Missions abroad with a view to increasing their capacity to protect our citizens in distress and ensuring prompt legal advice is provided for them where necessary. CONSIDERATION OF REPORTS 1. Report of the Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions: Discrimination against the Female Gender in the Recruitment Exercise into the Federal Service (Nigerian Customs Service) Sen. Ayo Akinyelure (Ondo Central) "That the Senate do consider the Report of the Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, in Respect of a Petition from one MRS. INIMFON CHRIS on the Discrimination Against the Female Gender in the Recruitment Exercise into the Federal Service (Nigerian Customs Service)". 2. Report of the Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions: Wrongful Dismissal of Mr. Michael Odunuyi by the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company (NSPMC): Sen. Ayo Akinyelure (Ondo Central) "That the Senate do consider the Report of the Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions in respect of a Petition on the Wrongful Dismissal of Mr. Michael Odunuyi by the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company (NSPMC)". PRINTED BY NATIONAL ASSEMBLY PRESS, ABUJA 93 Thursday, 17th January 2012 166 CONSIDERATION OF BILLS 1. A Bill for an Act to Make Provision for the State of the Nation Address by the President and for Other Matters Connected Therewith 2013 (SB. 224) - Second Reading Sen. Ike Ekweremadu (Enugu West) 2. A Bill for an Act to Establish the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport of Nigeria Charged with the responsibility for Among Other things Determining the Standard of Knowledge, Skill and Qualification of Persons seeking to become Chartered Logisticians and Transporters in Nigeria and for Related Matters 2013 (SB. 152) - Second Reading Sen. George T. Sekibo (Rivers East) 3. A Bill for an Act to Amend the Border Communities Development Agency (Establishment etc) and for Other Related Matters 2013 (SB. 143) - Second Reading Sen. Olufemi Lanlehin (Oyo South) COMMITTEE MEETINGS Committee Date Time Venue 1. Rules & Business Thursday, 17th January, 2013 2.00pm Committee Room 107 Senate New Building 2. Millennium Development Thursday, 17th January, 2013 3.00pm Committee Room 313 Goals Senate New Building PRINTED BY NATIONAL ASSEMBLY PRESS, ABUJA.