No less than 103 Nigerians have been deported from Turkey due to immigration-related issues, including irregular migration and expired visas, among other things, according to the Federal Government. This was said on Friday night at the deportees’ profiling in Abuja by Alhaji Tijani Ahmed, the Federal Commissioner of the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI).
Ahmed, who was accompanied by Amb. Catherine Udida, the commission’s Director of Migration Affairs, stated that while 110 deportees were anticipated, only 103—all men—were actually shipped out. “Now that they are here, after spending several months in the deportation camp, we hope to investigate every complaint that was acquired during their profiling.
We’ll review the profile forms since some of the participants have reported having their passports seized. The passports are the property of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, so we will follow up with the Turkish authorities,” he promised. He asserts that the NCFRMI, regardless of status, is the mandate agency in charge of all returnees.
The Federal Commissioner said, “We also have a programme where we train them and then reintegrate them into society.” In a similar vein, the returnees were reassured by Mr. Bashir Garga, the North-Central Zonal Coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), that the government was prepared to assist them through coordinated efforts of all pertinent agencies.
Mr. Arinze Stone, one of the victims, claimed that he was kept in the camp for almost six months after being seized by Turkish police. Stone claimed to have lived and worked as a businessman in Turkey for a number of years. He claimed, “They were making arrests of people whose papers had just expired or weren’t yet out.”
He claimed that the government has ceased issuing and renewing residency cards since the European Union began paying Turkey for illegal immigration. The European Union provides 120 euros a day for each immigrant head housed in the immigration camp. “Since arriving in Turkey, I have consistently had my residency permit extended.” He clarified, “It just expired, and Turkish authorities collected 700 euros from me for insurance and tax before cancelling the renewal.
Stone went on to say that none of the victims received the approximately 2,500 euros deportation cost that was supposed to be paid. Mr. Moses Emeh, another victim, claimed to have a Turkish company that was officially established and had been in operation for more than eight years.
In addition, I had a residence permission that was taken away from me by force, although I had intended to turn it into a work permit beforehand. “I’m not sure where to begin. However, I think this is a diplomatic matter, and I will let our minister of foreign affairs investigate further. Emeh added, “I also believe that they ought to have a sensitization programme for Nigerians who are still residing in Turkey because the Turkish government is not being honest and open with us.”
He described how he spent eleven months and three weeks in a dungeon after being imprisoned. “I was informed that I would have to remain in their custody for a year or two if I did not sign the deportation forms. After that, I may be freed, given immigration documents to sign, and then reintegrated into the system. However, they never carried that out. I am also aware that it is illegal to occupy land without a permit, but I did so after my lease was forcibly cancelled twice and I filed a lawsuit.
“I don’t think it is right for them to deport me because my case was already in court and the court has not yet presided over my case,” he continued. According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the returnees received stipends, beginning packs, and dignity kits to help them on their way to their destinations. (NAN)
