Six out of the 24 former Niger Delta militants studying at the Peoples University, Russia, have been withdrawn after they were fingered for masterminding last week’s protest at the Nigerian Embassy in Moscow, which culminated in the arrest of 16 Nigerian students by the Russian authorities.
The students staged the protest at the embassy to demand the payment of six-month outstanding allowances.
According to the Presidential Amnesty Office, the behaviour of the students was unwarranted, as their claims were found to be untrue, unprovoked and a gross misconduct.
“For going on rampage and violently attacking the Nigerian Mission, these students breached the Code of Conduct for delegates on scholarship that they all signed before their departure from Nigeria. It is also a gross misconduct, which the Nigerian government cannot tolerate. Students on its sponsorship cannot go on rampage on flimsy excuses in a foreign country and damage the image and reputation of Nigeria,” Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta, Hon. Kingsley Kuku, said in a release signed by his Special Assistant (Media), Mr. Daniel Alabra.
“Our records show that the students were not being owed their In-Training Allowance (ITA) for six months as they alleged. In fact, the only unremitted allowance was for the month of September 2013, which had been approved and was being processed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) at the time they attacked the Mission.
“My office had communicated the students on Friday, September 27, 2013 about the processing of their ITA for the months of September and October 2013 and the need for them to be patient while it was being handled by the CBN.”
Kuku expressed shock that the delegates invaded the embassy, destroying properties and attacking the Mission officials over unpaid allowances. Kuku, who described the action as “totally unacceptable” said the school authorities will be communicated on the development.
He also refuted rumours that former militants would soon be paid a sum of N2m, saying no such plan exists.
