The Federal Government has welcomed 103 Nigerian nationals deported from Turkey due to various migration-related issues, including expired visas and irregular migration, announced the Federal Commissioner of the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), Alhaji Tijani Ahmed.
During the profiling of the deportees in Abuja on Friday evening, Ahmed, represented by Amb. Catherine Udida, Director of Migration Affairs, highlighted that although 110 deportees were expected, only 103 arrived, all of whom were male, as initially reported by the News Agency of Nigeria.
“Some of them have spent several months in the deportation camp, and now that they are here, we are keen on investigating all the allegations recorded during their profiling,” Ahmed stated. “We will thoroughly review the profiling forms as some deportees have claimed that their passports were confiscated. We will engage with Turkish authorities because passports remain the property of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
Ahmed further emphasized that NCFRMI is mandated to provide support to all returnees regardless of their status, including through training programs aimed at facilitating their reintegration into society.
Bashir Garga, North-Central Zonal Coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), assured government support for the returnees through collaborative efforts with relevant agencies.
Deportees’ Testimonies
Among the deportees, Mr. Arinze Stone recounted being detained in a Turkish camp for six months. Stone, a longtime resident of Turkey engaged in business activities, attributed the Turkish authorities’ actions to a recent European Union initiative compensating Turkey for managing illegal immigration.
“Since my arrival in Turkey, I have consistently renewed my residence permit. However, it recently expired, and Turkish authorities demanded 700 Euros from me for tax and insurance, subsequently cancelling my renewal,” Stone explained. He also noted that the promised deportation fee of approximately 2,500 Euros per deportee was not disbursed.
Another deportee, Moses Emeh, who had operated a registered company in Turkey for over eight years, expressed dismay over the forceful cancellation of his residence permit while planning its conversion into a work permit.
“I believe this issue requires diplomatic attention, and I trust our foreign affairs ministry to pursue it vigorously,” Emeh commented. “There is an urgent need for sensitization programs targeting Nigerians in Turkey because of the lack of transparency and sincerity from Turkish authorities.”
The deportees’ plight underscores ongoing challenges faced by Nigerians abroad and calls for robust diplomatic interventions to protect the rights and welfare of Nigerian migrants worldwide.
