Senate President, David Mark

… 463 Nigerians serving in China prisons

From ADETUTU FOLASADE-KOYI, Beijing-China

Senate President David Mark yesterday appealed to the Peoples Republic of China to help Nigeria crush Boko Haram, declaring in Beijing that the sect has become a nuisance. Accompanied on the trip by the Senate Minority Whip and three other senators, Mark also raised hopes of creation of new states in the ongoing amendment of the 1999 Constitution.

Speaking during a meeting with Mr. Zhang Dejiang, chairman of the National Peoples Congress (NPC), Mark observed that Nigeria and China were reeling under terrorist attacks, adding that Nigeria could not defeat the insurgents without their collaboration.

His words: “Let me at this point offer my sympathy to you on the recent terrorist attacks in China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. This scourge of terrorism unites our two countries. We, too, are facing similar threats to our security from terrorists and insurgents.

“Terrorists and insurgents threaten the sanctity of life and every individual’s right to life. We cannot defeat this scourge alone. Nigeria needs your support. We are, therefore, soliciting your help in the quest to crush the present terror and insurgency we are facing.”

Also speaking during a meeting with the Nigeria/China Business Forum and the Nigerian Community at the Nigerian Embassy in Beijing, the Senate President said  having declared war on Nigeria, the country was ready to fight back.

He said this after some Nigerians at the embassy protested against the abduction of the Chibok girls.

“Boko Haram has become a nuisance, real nuisance. They’ve declared war on Nigerians and we will fight them with all we have at our disposal.

“We shall fight them with all the resources at our disposal. We are as worried as you are. Every hand must be on deck by all Nigerians at home and in the Diaspora to get rid of Boko Haram and all collaborators, both in Nigeria and outside Nigeria. Although parents of the abducted girls are already traumatised beyond explanation but with the increased determination of government and support of all, the girls shall surely be brought back sooner than later,” he added.

Spokesperson of the protesters, Yemi  Allen, had earlier told Mark and officials of the Nigerian embassy that the reason for the protest was to further mount pressure on Nigerian government to step up its action on rescue of the abducted girls without any delay.

He explained that though based on information available to them, government had all along been trying to rescue the girls, such efforts could not be appreciated in any way by anybody.

Earlier, the Charge d’Affairs, Alhaji Tanko, informed the Senate president and his entourage of the challenges facing the embassy in Beijing.

He noted that there were 463 Nigerians in various jails in China with 90 per cent of those cases being drugs-related. Tanko also disclosed that although Nigeria had opened talks with China on exchange of prisoners, there were still hiccups with the arrangement.


Source: Sun