The Federal Government has received 103 Nigerians deported from Turkey due to alleged migration-related issues such as expired visas and irregular migration.
This was announced by Alhaji Tijani Ahmed, the Federal Commissioner for the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), during the deportees’ profiling in Abuja.
Ahmed, represented by Amb. Catherine Udida, Director of Migration Affairs, noted that although 110 deportees were expected, only 103 arrived, all of whom were male.
Ahmed stated, “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,” he assured.
Mr. Bashir Garga, the North-Central Zonal Coordinator for the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), assured the returnees of the government’s readiness to support them through the collaborative efforts of relevant agencies.
However, some deportees have denied any wrongdoing.
Mr. Arinze Stone, who had lived in Turkey for years, claimed his resident permit expired, and despite paying 700 Euros for tax and insurance, the renewal was cancelled.
He alleged that the European Union’s payment to Turkey for handling illegal immigrants influenced the Turkish government’s actions.
“They were arresting people whose paper are not yet out or just expired,” he said.
“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,” he explained.
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, Mr. Moses Emeh, who had a registered company in Turkey for over eight years, claimed his resident permit was forcibly cancelled while he was planning to convert it to a working permit.
“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 that 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,” Emeh stated.
He narrated that he was arrested and put in a dungeon for 11 months and three weeks.
“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,” he added.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the returnees were given some dignity kits, starter packs and stipends to enable them to travel to their respective places.
(NAN)
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