The House of Representatives has mandated its Committee on Foreign Affairs to investigate the operations of Nigerian foreign missions with a view to addressing the challenges Nigerians are facing abroad.
The decision to embark on the probe was made at plenary on Thursday following a motion moved by Ben Etanabene (LP, Delta) and 33 others.
Mr Etababene, who moved the motion on behalf of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, said some foreign missions have failed in their responsibilities to Nigerians, noting that they are not getting the help they need overseas.
To convince the House on the importance of the probe, the lawmaker said Nigerians around the world are faced with general and urgent consular services challenges.
He explained that many Nigerians are illegally held or imprisoned in foreign countries and often under harsh conditions that may lead to loss of lives if urgent actions are not taken.
“Many Nigerian students are stranded in foreign land over issues that can be resolved and that many Nigerian businesses around the world helping in contributing to the economy of those countries and sending remittances back home are suffering harassment and sabotage,” he said.
Mr Etababene also accused some foreign missions of outsourcing vital consular services to third-party agents.
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He said all these are happening despite the 4D foreign policy thrust of the Bola Tinubu administration.
“In a lot of missions, local staff ceiling has been exceeded due to violation of rules and in some instances, the ceiling of Foreign Service Officers. This has further resulted in indebtedness in the respective missions.
“If these issues are not investigated and appropriate and urgent actions taken by the House, it may lead to loss of lives and properties, further difficulties in visa and consular services home and abroad, malfeasance and waste, inefficiency and loss of revenue and poor implementation of the government reforms,” he said.
The motion was not debated by the members of the House. It was unanimously adopted when it was put to vote by Speaker Abbas Tajudeen.
He subsequently directed the committee to report back to the House within three weeks.
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