103 Nigerians deported by Turkey

The Federal Government received 103 Nigerians deported from Turkey over the weekend.

The deportation was due to various migration-related issues, including expired visas, irregular migration and other related issues.

Alhaji Tijani Ahmed, the Federal Commissioner of the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), made a statement while profiling the deportees in Abuja, revealing that the Commission had anticipated the arrival of 110 individuals, but instead received 103 male deportees.

Amb. Catherine Udida, Director of Migration Affairs, represented Alhaji Tijani Ahmed and delivered his message, revealing that some deportees had been detained at the camp for months, and the commission will investigate all allegations gathered during profiling.

He said; “We will go through the profiling forms, because some of them have said that their passports were seized.

We are going to follow up with the Turkish authority because the passports are still the property of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”.

The commissioner said that the NCFRMI is the mandate agency responsible for all returnees, irrespective of their status, saying that the commission has a programme where the deportees are trained and thereafter reintegrated into society.

Also speaking, Mr Bashir Garga, the North-Central Zonal Coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), assured the returnees of the government’s readiness to support them through collaborative efforts of all relevant agencies.

Speaking on his experience, one of the deportees, Mr Arinze Stone, said the Turkish authorities arrested and detained him in the camp for about six months, adding that he had been living and doing business in Turkey for quite some years.

Stone alleged that it was since the European Union started paying Turkey for illegal immigrants, that the government stopped issuing and renewing resident permits.

According to him; “Each day, the European Union pays 120 Euros per head of immigrants in the Immigration Camp. Ever since I had been in Turkey, I always had my resident permit renewed. It just got expired and Turkish authorities collected 700 euros from me for tax and insurance and then cancelled the renewal”.

Stone also said that the deportation fee of about 2,500 Euros that was supposed to be given to each victim was not paid.

Another of the deportees, Moses Emeh, said he had a registered company in Turkey that had been functioning for more than eight years, adding that he equally had a valid resident permit, which was forcibly cancelled.

He said; “I had earlier planned to convert it into working permit. I don’t know where to start from. But I believe this is a diplomatic issue and I trust our Foreign Affairs minister to follow it up.

“I also think that they should have a sensitization programme for Nigerians still living over there in Turkey because the Turkish government is not being sincere and transparent with us,” he stressed. Emeh stated.

Emeh said that he was arrested and put in a dungeon for 11 months and three weeks and told that if he does not sign the deportation documents, he would have to stay in their custody for one to two years, after which he could be released and given immigration documents to sign before he could be reintegrated into the system, adding that the Turkish authorities did fulfilled it.

In his words; “I know that occupying a territory without a permit is a crime, but mine was forcibly terminated twice and I took the case to court. Since my case was already in court and the court was yet to preside over my case, I don’t think it is right for them to deport me”.

The returnees received dignity kits, starter packs, and stipends from the commission to help them travel back to their places of origin.