Home GLOBAL NEWS 100 Togolese deported from Nigeria

100 Togolese deported from Nigeria

467
0
Togolese Refugees
Togolese Refugees

At least 100 persons seeking asylum have been deported by the authorities in Nigeria, many of the refugees are said are children who have been refugees their whole lives, the U.N. Refugee Agency said Monday.

The Togolese refugees where said to have moved to Nigeria in July after Benin Republic, which had hosted them for nearly ten years, stripped them of refugee status.

One of those deported, Sogbo Maonou, said the Nigerian soldiers in Lagos loaded them onto buses Saturday that drove them to Togo through Benin.

READ ALSO  How to get Nigeria out of recession before December - Dangote

Brigitte Eno, deputy representative for the U.N. Refugee Agency in Nigeria, said the group should have been given orientation before being deported

“They were supposed to be informed individually and counselled but immigration did it their own way,” Eno said,

“We were not even aware of the fact they were being put on buses.”

Michael Akindele, who is the general manager of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency said due process was followed, they were all interviewed but their requests for asylum were rejected.

READ ALSO  Federal Government Harassed Alamieyeseigha to death -Fayose

Many of Togolese asylum seekers claim they face repression at home, having fled political violence after the 2005 election. Some said they witnessed family members being arrested and killed by the military because of their support for the opposition.

Amnesty International reported in February that Togo sometimes tortures detainees. Togo’s President Faure Gnassingbe was reinstated in April after succeeding his father in 2005 elections marred by violence and rigging to perpetuate a family dynasty that has ruled nearly 50 years.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.