A united kingdom- based immigration lawyer, Mr Fola Rahman, once shocked his listener when revealed that no fewer than 20,000 Nigerians were Languishing in various prison and detention centres across Europe for immigration offences.
1,2,3,4,5......20,000. oh my goodness! 20,000 Nigerians? when i heard this shocking news, different things ran through my mind, the story swept me off my feet, i lost appetite for the food i was eating. Is that they prefered European prisons to that of "NAIJA" or what? The chairman, House committee on diaspora affairs, Mrs Abike Dabiri Erewa (according to sunday punch) During a fact finding mission to Brazil, returned with a chilling story of 456 Nigerians being held in various prisons across the south- American country.
Among this Dabiri Erewa said, Were a 72 -year old grandmother, Fausat Aosede, 13 women and 43 other Nigerians who were being held for drug related offences.
In an interview with (Sunday Punch) Dabiri Erewa said about 100 Nigerians were also in detention in Ukraine for various offences, adding that the country called on Nigeria for their repatriation, which has yet to be effected. She added that Brazil had invited Nigeria to sign a reputation treaty with it since 2009, but the Nigerian Government has yet to respond, underscoring its perceived lackadaisical attitude towards protecting the rights of its citizen.
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| Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa displaying a picture of some Nigerians in Brazilian prisons, during a press briefing in Abuja. | credits: NAN |
Some trek from Mali to Libya, passing through Egypt and other African countries with the hope of ultimately crossing
over to Spain by sea.
Nothing irks me more when i hear stories of how Nigerians are suffering abroad, as at March, over 500 Nigerians were in jails across India and another 1,000 in Chinese prisons. Over 400 Nigerians are said to be serving various jail terms in Indonesian prisons for peddling hard drugs, while over 20 of them are on death row.
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| Nigerians in Brazilian prison |
More than 1 million Nigerians have travelled out of the country over the last 20 years. 1 million youths that might have made the difference, 1 million youths that might have made a positive difference in this country had it been there were room for self development, had it been necessary logistics were put in place for their development.
The state of Nigeria is all paradox; we do not respect the potential in our youths, yet we call them leaders of tomorrow. How do we expect them to lead when the necessary logistics are not provided.
Nigeria is a place where dignity is alien to labour, workers are oppressed and made to feel subhuman, hating themselves, hating their jobs and hating life! workers are poorly paid and when this is added to the inhumane treatment they get - being addressed and ordered around, even by children and wives of their employers. It becomes understandable why attitude to job especially of the menial kind, is without cheer.
The federal government are not proactive enough on the matter concerning Nigerians in foreign prisons. The federal government should create establishment of a support structure in Nigerian embassies to take up matters concerning Nigerians who are in conflict with the laws of their host countries.
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| Dabiri Erewa |
There i s urgent need for our leaders to create room for self development in youths and the masses, reducing Nigerians in diaspora and also restore dignity to labour in Nigeria for only then can genuine manpower productivity for economic growth of the nation can ensue.