The delegation of the House of Representatives arrived in Abuja on Friday morning with the first batch of stranded Nigerian students in Ukraine.
Led by the House Majority Leader, Rep. Alhassan Ado-Doguwa, as mandated by the House, the delegation that included the Chairman, House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Rep. Yusuf Buba Yakub also disclosed that more flights are expected in Abuja on Friday.
Speaking on arrival at the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja, Ado-Doguwa, while appreciating the foresight and efforts put in for timely evacuation of the Nigerians by President Muhammadu Buhari and the leadership of the House of Representatives, however, solicited more support for the country’s foreign missions.
He said: “Want to thank the National Assembly and by extension, the roles personally and officially played by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila for us to have the opportunity to get to Romania to be able to witness this process.
“What we have seen there is really traumatic on the part of the students, some of whom are in their final year while some were just starting.
“Unfortunately, we never envisaged this kind of a problem but as we can see, the responsibility of every government is about the lives and livelihood of every citizen, protection of the people and their property and to that extent, the Nigerian government has really shown leadership.
“This might be the first flight landing in Abuja as a rescue mission from some of these troubled areas but I believe subsequent flights from other areas like borders Budapest, Poland and other neighbouring countries around the troubled area of Ukraine would continue from today.
“I’m using this opportunity to urge the Federal government through the Foreign Affairs Ministry to, as a matter of strategy try to build on the strength of our foreign missions.
“Some of these missions certainly have issues, challenges that needed to be addressed.
“Though we didn’t envisage this development in our budget and planning procedures, I believe as we have a case at hand, we will begin to plan ahead so that when such incidences happen, which we don’t pray for, certainly you’ll have some arrangement on the ground to address it.
“But from what we have on the ground now, the emergency arrangement by the Federal government has been so superb and it has shown sufficient leadership in that regard.
“We have to thank President Muhammadu Buhari for facilitating this procedure to have gotten to the extent”.
On his part, while appreciating the efforts of all stakeholders involved in the evacuation process, Chairman, House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Rep. Yusuf Buba Yakub, also commended Speaker Gbajabiamila for his usual wise insight in taking critical decisions, noted that the trip was not only necessary but timely.
While stressing that leaders need to inspire confidence in those they lead at all times, Yakub said that three more aircraft conveying Nigerian evacuees were still being expected in Abuja later on Friday.
