The Federal Government has cautioned Gabon and other ECOWAS member states not to dump deportees from their countries in Nigeria.
FG cautions member states not to dump their deportees in Nigeria
The Minister of Interior, Lt.-Gen Abdulrahman Dambazzau, gave the warning on Thursday in Calabar during the evacuation of 617 people including women and children deported from Gabon to Calabar.
The Minister of Interior, Lt.-Gen Abdulrahman Dambazzau.
Recommended articles
![Bola Ahmed Tinubu [X, formerly Twitter]](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf8,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D'http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg'%20width%3D'100'%20height%3D'100'%20data-ring-placeholder%3D'1'%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E "Bola Ahmed Tinubu [X, formerly Twitter]")
The Minister of Interior, Lt.-Gen Abdulrahman Dambazzau, gave the warning on Thursday in Calabar during the evacuation of 617 people including women and children deported from Gabon to Calabar.
He warned that the federal government would impound any vessel used in dumping deportees in Nigerian seaports.
Dambazzau, who was represented by Mrs Funke Adeuyi, the Comptroller of Immigration, Cross River Command, said that the affected people were dumped at Calabar port since Dec. 26, 2015.
ADVERTISEMENT
He said that other punitive measures including seizure of vessels and payment of fines as stipulated in the ECOWAS charter would be employed to stop the anomaly.
"Nigeria will no more tolerate this because of security implications of such actions.
"I am here on behalf of the Minister of Interior, Lt.- Gen Abdulrahman Danbazzau, through the Comptroller General of Immigration.
"This should be the last time this category of the deportees will be allowed to transit through the Nigerian land borders or ports.
"Any country that brings this category of deportees to Nigeria will face the relevant penalty ranging from impounding of their vessels.
ADVERTISEMENT
"Nigeria has a new policy on this type of issue and I am here to reiterate that severe action will be taken by Nigerian government should this continue.
"Most of these people were deported for immigration related offense,’’ he said.
Responding on behalf of ambassadors of countries whose nationals were among the deportees, Babacar Mbodi, the Consul General, Republic of Senegal, commended the Nigerian government for safe-keeping of the deportees.
He said that arrangements had been concluded to take the deportees to their respective countries through Seme, a border town between Nigeria and Benin Republic.
He assured that Senegal would comply with the new federal government’s policy.
ADVERTISEMENT
The deportees are from Gabon, Senegal, Burkina Faso, Benin Republic, Niger, Mali, Chad and Guinea.
JOIN OUR PULSE COMMUNITY!
ADVERTISEMENT
Eyewitness? Submit your stories now via social or:
Email: eyewitness@pulse.ng
Recommended articles
Court permits Nigerian to amend $150m case against Google, GoDaddy
Delta monarch declared wanted over Okuama killings regain freedom
Tinubu endorses 3 frameworks to educate Nigeria's out-of-school children
Anxiety as APC confirms Ganduje's chairmanship status
Mysterious illness kills 8 people in Sokoto - no one can explain why
Child labour problem in Nigeria worst in Southeast, Northwest
Over 600,000 Nigerians are being forced to work against their will
Gov Mbah plans befitting burial for Nollywood stars Mr Ibu, Junior Pope
Tinubu made naira world’s best, what PDP failed to do in 16 years - Onanuga
Pulse Sports
Lionel Messi's son breaks the internet after scoring five goals for Inter Miami
Naija Stars Abroad: Onyedika, Boniface, and Osimhen shine across Europe
Victor Osimhen and Tobi Amusan make list of Forbes’ 30 under 30 Class of 2024
ADVERTISEMENT
![Nigerians in diaspora are urged to be patriotic toward the nation [Jenny M.C.]](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf8,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D'http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg'%20width%3D'300'%20height%3D'172'%20data-ring-placeholder%3D'1'%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E "Nigerians in diaspora are urged to be patriotic toward the nation [Jenny M.C.]")