The House of Representatives has warned the Vice Chancellor (VC) of Madonna University, Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Edeh till 9th of this month to appear before it or be forced to comply.
Others expected to appear with the VC include other officials of the school, Rev. Fr. Francis Nwachukwu, Rev. Fr. Francis Nginga and Mr Ogbonna Okey.
They were expected to give account on the alleged abduction and torture of two students before the Uzoma Nkem-Abonta-led House Committee on Public Petition.
The Committee regretted that rather than appear before it and shed light on the issue, the VC and the others ignored the invitation and sought to bar the House from investigating the issue by filling a case against the jurisdiction of the House to wade into the matter.
An Abuja Federal High Court however last week, on 26th March disclosed the suit on the ground that the parliament was constitutionally empowered by Section 88 (2) (a) and (b) to carry out investigation on such matters.
Committee Deputy Chairman, Simon Arabo, who chaired the proceeding said there is a need to unravel the truth of the incidence.
The Committee also expressed its eagerness to understand why a criminal case before a course of competent jurisdiction had to adjourn sine die (indefinitely).
“That is why the VC and the others must come and give their own accounts to assist the Committee.
“When you are pursuing a legal course, make some assumptions, so that when the court action arise, your action does not become statute barred, based on the law of the State where the incidence happened.
“If they are students, they have not been rusticated, have they been barred from going to school, why are they not in school?
“If they have been barred, steps must have been taken that they are readmitted to complete their courses.
“Two years out of school is not funny for a student.
“So looking at it critically, again, we have to look at the fact that the case supposed to have been prosecuted and all of a sudden they adjourned the matter sine die. In a criminal matter? No, why? There is no court anywhere in the country that does that”.
He adjourned the hearing till 9th of March for all parties to appear.
For being abducted and tortured by the school’s Chief Security Officer (CSO) and the Dean of Student Affairs, the two students, Stanley Okoye, a final year Engineering student and Ga-Lim Aondofa were allegedly abducted requested the House to compel the school to compensate them for their medical treatment.
The two also prayed that the costlitigation and loss of earnings be paid to them because most of their course mates that graduated are working
”We are asking that House compel the school to pay themnN150m because some of them sustained life threatening injuries during the ordeal.
“One of them has an injuring at the back below his neck and supoosed to travel abroad for treatment but he couldn’t because his father has exhausted all he has on him already treating him locally,” counsel to the students told the Committee.
