Senate President Ahmad Lawan has assured Nigerian students currently stranded in the Southern Caribbean nation hit by volcanic explosions that the National Assembly would intervene to ensure that they are safely brought back home.
Sen. Lawan gave the assurance in response to a request for Intervention by the Consul General of the Island Nation of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Dr. Levi Odoe, who paid him a courtesy call at the National Assembly, Abuja on Wednesday.
“Let me commiserate with you on the volcanic eruptions that took place in the Island.
“St. Vincent and the Grenadines is a country that is very friendly with our country Nigeria over a long time. We have many bilateral and multilateral interactions and we appreciate your cooperation, support and partnership over time with our country.
“It is rather sad that you had volcanic eruptions that have caused serious damage in the Island.
“I’m also saddened by the loss of lives and of course the situation of the Nigerian medical students who are now trapped in the Island.
“When we sit here at the National Assembly, we represent every Nigerian wherever that Nigerian is. Therefore, it is our responsibility and obligation to take all the necessary measures to ensure that the Nigerian students who are trapped are brought back safely to Nigeria until the situation is remedied.
“It is also the attitude of our country to come in support of countries and our friends. So when we have issues like this that require emphathy and support of our country, we will look into it definitely with a view to finding some kind of support for the Island,” Lawan said.
Earlier, the Consul General of the Island Nation of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Dr Levi Odoe said the purpose of the visit was to seek Nigeria’s assistance for the Island and the intervention of the Senate President with respect to about 230 Nigerian medical students currently stranded in the Island.
“They (stranded Nigerian students) have been calling me requesting to see what can be done and I thought to myself, that the best thing to do will be to request an audience with His Excellency, the Senate President.
“So we are here to request any assistance at all that can be given to the Island and to Nigerians that are stranded there,” Dr. Odoe said.