Over 50,000 Nigerians Languish In Foreign Prisons – DLARC

Diaspora Legal Aid and Rehabilitation Centre (DLARC) on Monday disclosed that over 50, 000 Nigerians are currently detained in prison facilities abroad. In a communiqué issued at the end of a roundtable meeting of stakeholders on the plight of some Nigerians in diaspora, issues of illegal immigration, drug peddling, traffic offences and even minor domestic issues were largely responsible for the imprisonment of these persons.
The meeting noted that due to the economic hardship in the country, coupled with the politics of patronage which subsumes the issue of merit and objective criteria for reward, several Nigerians were frustrated out of the country and often, these people suffer untold discrimination and are maltreated by their host government.
Organized in conjunction with All Nigerian Nationals in the Diaspora and Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Ethics and Values, the meetings addressed the perennial problems associated with Nigerians in the Diaspora; in particular Nigerians languishing in prisons abroad suffering various forms of abuses.
In the 13-point communiqué, it was resolved that the sovereign rights of every nation must be respected and that such host countries have a duty in accordance with United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights to protect the rights of migrants from discrimination, torture, inhuman and degrading treatment and punishment in accordance with Article 27, 9, 5 of UNDHR.
The communiqué was signed by Dr Ifedi Okwenna, Executive Secretary, DLARC; Dr Peter Mozie Global Chairman (All Nigerian Nationals in the Diaspora); Dr (Mrs) Sarah Jibril, Special Adviser to the President on Ethics and Values and Mrs Nela Andem-Rabana (SAN), Chairperson Communiqué Committee.
The communiqué noted that according to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, an estimate of 214 million persons (migrants) currently live outside their country of origin and that all these migrants who legally move to other countries have duly exercised their right of movement guaranteed by Article 12(2) UN International Covenant for Civil and Political Rights.
Noting that the sovereign rights of every nation must be respected, they pointed out that host countries have a duty in accordance with UNUDHR , rights of migrants are protected from discrimination, torture, inhuman and degrading treatment and punishment.
The meeting observed that in view of the remittance from Nigerians in the Diaspora annually which amounts to approximately US21 Billion, and their contribution in the improvement of the nation’s Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) governments ought to develop deliberate policies and strategies for harnessing the skills and resources in the Diaspora for the benefit of our country.
They called for greater bilateral and multi lateral Agreements need to be entered by Nigeria to encourage not only high skilled labour migration and exchange, but low or medium skills as measure to reduce irregular migration.
They emphasized: “In consideration of the fact that over 50,000 Nigerians have been found languishing in prisons in Europe, America, Asia, and Africa, a disturbing trend that must be addressed, a more bilateral and multi lateral Agreements need to be entered by Nigeria to encourage not only high skilled labour migration and exchange, but low or medium skills as measure to reduce irregular migration.
“That the Assisted Voluntary Return Model between Nigeria and Switzerland which touches on migrant prisoner management/exchange or return be adopted and that this model be replicated in the nations Cooperation Agreements with other countries.
“That the Draft National Migration Policy which addresses issues of migrants rights, labour migration, force migration, border management, irregular migration, remittances, brain drain on the one hand and several cross cutting social themes on migration which includes human rights on the other hand should be presented to the Federal Executive Council for adoption as a matter of urgency”.
They further noted that the Missions and Diaspora Communities in different countries be encouraged to organize regular orientation programs especially for fresh migrants to expose them to the laws of the host country with a view to averting unnecessary violations of these laws by the migrants.
“That the Federal Government of Nigerian should as a deliberate policy appoint officers to Missions who are not only open minded and exposed to the philosophy of both nations, but who are sufficiently knowledgeable about socio-economic opportunities in Nigeria and host country they are sent to”.