Reps reject motion to ban ‘Japa’ syndrome

The House of Representatives has rejected a motion seeking to declare emigration of young Nigerians abroad, known as “Japa” syndrome, as a national emergency.

This followed the adoption of a motion by Philip Agbese (APC-Benue) who was based in United Kingdom before becoming a lawmaker in Nigeria during plenary.

Presenting the motion, Agbese said statistics from the Nigerian Economic Summit showed that a growing number of young Nigerians were relocating abroad.

He said the recent reports by African Polling Institute indicated that 69 per cent of young people would opt to relocate if given the chance.

READ ALSO: ‘Japa’: UK to ban foreign students from bringing family

The lawmaker said there was a 40 per cent increase in the number of young Nigerians leaving the nation compared to the number captured in 2019, as the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) reported.

Agbese said the UN DESA stated that international emigration from Nigeria in 2020 total 1.7 million, which was a substantial increase from 990,000 in 2010.

He said the growing statistics of young Nigerians leaving Nigeria and securing permanent residence in UK, USA, and Canada portends a grave danger for the country from Economic to intellectual and Social aspects.

When the Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, subjected the motion to a vote, it was unanimously rejected by the lawmakers.

The Star