Nigerian Detained, Jailed in Dubai to Regain Freedom in December, Says Lawmaker 

Udora Orizu in Abuja

A member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Beni Lar has said Dinchi Lar, a Nigerian tourist sentenced to one-year imprisonment by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) authorities would regain freedom in December.

On August 31, Dinchi Lar had posted a video on social media calling for help because she and other Nigerians were being detained for up to eight hours at the airport. 

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Dubai Police had accused her of cybercrime, and she was detained for 22 days and eventually sentenced to jail. 

Hon. Lar representing Langtang North, Langtang South Federal Constituency of Plateau State, while briefing journalists in Abuja, commended the federal government through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, adding that such gesture by the government to secure a light punishment was commendable.

The lawmaker while stressing that the sentence should send a strong caution to Nigerian youths to know the law of the country they intend traveling to, said the sentence was reduced to three months through the untiring effort of the Nigerian government.

She commended UAE government for tampering justice with mercy, adding that the gesture showed that international diplomacy could still work.

 Lar also commended the National Assembly for the passage of the Federal University of Agriculture to be sited in Lantang Plateau for President Muhammadu Buhari’s assent.

She said, “the family of the detained lady expressed happiness for the effort in regard to the reduction of the sentence. Everybody particularly the youth have expressed concern and we are glad that the Federal Government and the lawmaker listened to our cry and did the needful.”