The Federal Government has received no fewer than 103 Nigerians deported from Turkey over migration-related issues, including expired visas and irregular migration, among others.
The Federal Commissioner of the National Commission for Refugees Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), Tijani Ahmed, made this known during the deportees’ profiling in Abuja on Friday evening.
Ahmed, who was represented by the NCFRMI Director of Migration Affairs, Catherine Udida, said the commission expected 110 deportees but received 103, all males.
He said: “Some of them have been in the deportation camp for some months, and now that they are here, we are hoping to follow up on all the allegations gathered in their profiling.
“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.”
According to him, the NCFRMI is the mandate agency responsible for all returnees, irrespective of their status.
“We equally have a programme where we train them and thereafter reintegrate them into the society,” the federal commissioner stated.
Also speaking, the North-Central Zonal Coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Bashir Garga, assured the returnees of the government’s readiness to support them through collaborative efforts of all relevant agencies.
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One of the deportees, Arinze Stone, said the Turkish authority arrested and detained him in the camp for about six months.
Stone disclosed that he had been living in Turkey for some years doing business.
“They were arresting people whose papers are not yet out or just expired,” he added.
He alleged that it was since the European Union started paying Turkey for illegal immigrants that the government stopped issuing and renewing resident permits.
Stone stated: “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 the Turkish authority collected 700 euros from me for tax and insurance and then cancelled the renewal.”
Stone added that the deportation fee of about 2,500 euros that was supposed to be given to each victim was not paid.
Another deportee, Moses Emeh, said he had a registered company in Turkey which had been functioning for more than eight years.
Emeh said: “I also have a resident permit, which was forcibly cancelled but I had earlier planned to convert it into a 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 they should have a sensitisation programme for Nigerians still living over there in Turkey because the Turkish government is not being sincere and transparent with us.”
The deportee further disclosed that he was arrested and put in a dungeon for 11 months and three weeks.
Emeh added: “I was told that if I did not sign the deportation documents, I would have to stay in their custody for one year to two years after which I could be released and given immigration documents to sign, then be reintegrated into the system. But, they never fulfilled that.
“I also 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 were given some dignity kits, starter packs, and stipends to enable them to travel to their respective places.
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