The Federal Government has disclosed that the two Nigerians in Bosnia Camps are hale and hearty and are expected to return to Nigeria any moment from now.
The Chairman/CEO, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, (NIDCOM) Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa explained that this followed series of diplomatic interventions from the Nigerian Mission in Hungary and, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyema, who directed for full investigations to be carried out.
Recalled that the two students of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), Abia Alexandro Uchenna and Eboh Kenneth Chinedu, who attended an international table tennis competition in Croatia, ended up in a Bosnian refugee camp.
She added that the Nigerian Mission in Hungary has taken steps to ensure that the matter is resolved and the welfare of the two Nigerians protected.
Dabiri-Erewa said that five of the students went for the table tennis event without the knowledge of the Nigerian Table Tennis Federation, two returned over two weeks ago, three of them stayed back while one already applied for asylum.
She explained: “Although the Croatia Authorities through our Ambassador in Budapest denied the allegation involving maltreatment by the Croatian Police, the Hon. Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Geoffrey Onyeama has demanded full investigation into the matter.”
The NIDCOM chair said the conditions attached to their release include usage of their return tickets from Zagreb, Croatia back to Nigeria and must not seek Asylum in Croatia, just as one of them did already.
Dabiri-Erewa appealed to Nigerians to always inform relevant authorities whenever they go on such trips outside the country and be of good behaviour.
Abia Alexandro Uchenna, Eboh Kenneth Chinedu, and three other students, reportedly arrived in Zagreb, capital of Croatia, on November 12, for the fifth world inter-university championships held in the country.
THISDAY