by Azeez Adeniyi

The Federal Government has urged the Indian government to arrest and prosecute those responsible for attacks on Nigerian students in the country.

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Olushola Enikanolaiye made the call in Abuja at a meeting with Nagabushana Reddy, Indian high commissioner to Nigeria, on Wednesday.

Nigerian students are being attacked in India over allegations that some of them drugged an Indian student to death.

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The permanent secretary said prosecution of those involved will serve as a warning to others and forestall future occurrences.

“It is therefore, a concern to us that Nigerian students in that place were harassed, beaten up and many of them were seriously injured,” he said.

“We think this should not have happened considering the excellent relationship between two of us — the two countries have things in common and have been great friends.”

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He expressed concern that the incident was not the first of its kind.

“This is not the first time this would happen; Nigerians have suffered similar attack in the past; so, what we will like to see on this occasion is that the perpetrator should be arrested.

“And we want to see diligent prosecution so that it would serve as a deterrent to those who think they can take laws into their hands and harass students who are going about their studies.

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“That is why we felt we should register our concern to you on this occasion, and to please ask your government to take effective measures that this does not occur again.”