‘Stop dumping deportees in Nigeria’ - FG

The Federal Government has warned other West African countries to stop dumping deportees in Nigeria.

Interior Minister Lt.-Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazzau (retd) spoke yesterday in Calabar, the Cross River State capital, while reacting to the dumping of deportees from West African countries.

He said the government would impound any vessel which dumps deportees at any Nigerian seaport.

Dambazzau was represented by the Comptroller of Immigration in the Cross River State Command, Funke Adeuyi, at the evacuation of men, women and children from various West African countries, allegedly deported from Gabon and dumped in Calabar.

The deportees were reportedly dumped in Calabar when their ship developed problems on the high seas.

The minister said other punitive measures, including seizure of such vessels and payment of fines – as stipulated in the ECOWAS charter – would be imposed on erring countries.

Adeuyi said: “Nigeria will no more tolerate this because of the security implications. I’m here on behalf of the Minister of Interior, Lt.-Gen. Abdurahaman Danbazzau (retd), through the comptroller-general of Immigration, to warn that this should be the last time these categories of deportees would be allowed to transit through Nigerian land borders or ports.

“No Gabonese or any Central or West African government should repeat this or ever contemplate this type of unacceptable situation.

“Any country that brings these categories of deportees to Nigeria will face the penalty, including impounding of their vessels. Nigeria has a new policy on this type of issue. I am here to reiterate that severe actions will be taken by the government, should this continue.”

The Consul General of Republic of Senegal, Babacar Mbodi, on behalf of ambassadors, whose nationals were among the deportees, hailed the Nigeria for safely keeping the deportees.

He said arrangements had been concluded to take the deportees to their countries through the Seme border.

The envoy pledged that his country would comply with the Federal Government’s policy.

- THE NATION