Rep. Beni Lar (PDP-Plateau) has said that Dinchi Lar, a Nigerian lady detained in the United Arab Emirates, would regain her freedom in December.
Lar, representing Langtang North, Langtang South Federal Constituency of Plateau State, spokes at a news conference.
The lawmaker, at the premises of the National Assembly in Abuja on Wednesday, said the Federal Government for embarking on measure to secure a light punishment for the lady.
The excited lawmaker said: “My constituent, who was imprisoned in the UAE, is going to be released in December.
“I thank the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for taken this up.”
The lady was initially jailed for one year for filming and uploading on Twitter the alleged maltreatment of Nigerians at the Dubai International Airport.
Bako Ventimimi, a family member of the detained lady, expressed happiness for the effort which resulted in the reduction of the sentence, adding that it had been a grave concern for the family.
Ventimimi said: “Everybody, particularly the youths, have expressed concern and we are glad that the Federal Government and the lawmaker listened to our cry and did the needful.”
He also commended the media for the great job in pushing through the discussion.
On August 31, 2022, Lar had taken to her Twitter page to share photos and videos of herself and other people she identified as Nigerians being allegedly detained at the Dubai International Airport.
She tweeted: “I am at the Dubai international airport and myself and some other Nigerians with valid visas are being held in a room hours after arriving with no explanation and no information on what we have done.
“Please help me.
“There are more than 20 of us here.”
The lawmaker commended the UAE Government for tampering justice with mercy, adding that the gesture showed that international diplomacy could still work.
According to her, the sentence was reduced to three months through the untiring effort of the Nigerian Government.
She said the sentence should send a strong caution to Nigerian youths to know the law of the country they intend traveling to before embarking on such journeys.
The lawmaker said the UAE Government was magnanimous, adding that some countries might not be that generous, while urging Nigerian youths traveling abroad to be law abiding and know the country they intend traveling to.
Lar also commended the National Assembly for the passage of the Federal University of Agriculture to be sited in Lantang, Plateau State for President Muhammadu Buhari’s assent.
She said the bill, if assented to, would provide the requisite opportunities, adding that Lantang has some of the best crops of students and many others would be exploited through the university of Agriculture when signed into law.
She refuted allegation that she has left the Peoples Democratic Party for another party, saying: “I believe in consistency, whether good or bad I believe in staying where I am okay.”