By Maureen Okon
The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) has confirmed the receipt of 40 out of the 42 Nigerians deported from Mozambique.
The 40 deportees returned to Nigeria after their release from detention in Mozambique for weeks.
NiDCOM confirmed this in a statement on Tuesday by Abdur-Rahman Balogun, the commission’s Director of Media, Public Relations and Protocols.
The statement indicated that the deportees arrived in Nigeria in three batches of 13, 16, and 11 respectively, aboard a South African Airways (flight SA60) and Ethiopian Airline on March 24, 26, and 27, with two of them remaining in Mozambique.
The commission noted that the deportation of the Nigerians was not executed through due process as the method was “inhuman and in violation of their human rights”.
Balogun explained that the deportees were randomly arrested and detained in Mozambique and subsequently deported to Nigeria even when they had the legal and proper documentations to show for their stay in the country.
He said although the authorities in that country claimed the Nigerians had immigration issues, documents provided by the deportees proved otherwise.
According to him, some of the deportees that were received in Lagos by NiDCOM staff claimed that their money and some other valuables were confiscated after they were arrested and detained.
“It is saddening that while all of this was going on, the Mozambican authorities did not reach out to the Nigerian Embassy while all emissaries from the embassy were rebuffed.
“It will be recalled that the 42 Nigerians were arrested at their various business locations even when they had valid residency permits.
“Some of those affected alleged that the arrests were carried out without prior notice, insisting that they had complied with all legal requirements to live and work in Mozambique.
They further claimed they were detained for several days before being processed for deportation.
However, NiDCOM has advised Nigerians living in Mozambique to remain calm and law-abiding as the Nigerian High Commission in that country has waded into the matter and has called for an investigation into the circumstances leading to the arrests, detention, and the breach of human rights of the Nigerians arrested.
The commission also said that it had notified the Mozambique envoy to Nigeria of the situation and has called for redress.
One of the remaining two Nigerians yet to return is said to be married to a Mozambican, while the other one claims to have been born in that country.
Meanwhile, Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, the Chairman/CEO of NiDCOM, has called on Nigerians living in South Africa to remain calm and law-abiding.
The call became necessary, according to her, in the wake of the violence Nigerian citizens were subjected to while they were celebrating at a festival in that country.
She said that the Nigerian High Commissioner in South Africa was looking into the allegations of violence meted on some Nigerians celebrating a cultural festival in the country’s Eastern Cape Province.
Tensions had heightened in the province over the installation of a Nigerian community leader in the city, a development which was misconstrued by the host community.
Some South Africans in the local area saw the installation of the community leader as an attempt by the Nigerian community to grab political power.
Traditional leader Xhanti Sigcawu, who was present at Monday’s march, told newsmen that the installation ceremony had left local chiefs feeling “undermined” as the area was the “territory of the Xhosas” of South Africa.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Emmanuel Yashim
