Over 4,000 irregular Nigerian migrants from Libya, Niger, Mali, Chad and Sudan have been received back in the country by the National Commission For Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI). This was disclosed by Alex Oturu, Southwest Zonal Coordinator, NCFRMI while speaking at a seminar, with the theme, “Japa: A syndrome or solution?”, organised by Justice Development and Peace Commission (JDPC), Catholic Church of the Assumption, Falomo, Ikoyi, Lagos, held recently at the Church premises.
Oturu revealed that the commission alongside its partners are working hard to ensure that Nigerians who are stranded in countries they migrated to are returned in a safe orderly and dignified manner. According to him, these migrants include those that have been trafficked or smuggled to foreign countries, who, when received are provided with welfare packs to ensure they have a soft landing, as they are integrated into different government programmes. He listed the Ministry of labour, civil society organisations among agencies that ensure that the migrants are integrated back into the system with skill acquisition programmes, and register those who want to further their education in schools.
Also speaking on the occasion, Sly Maduforo, Coordinator, JDPC, Catholic Church of the Assumption, said migration can be a good thing if handled in the right way, as it can also prove tough to the undiscerning who go the irregular way. He cautioned intending migrants on the dangers of irregular migration, as he commended victims turned advocates for reaching out to those who might be considering such an endeavour. Giving assurance on efforts to continue to reach out to as many people as possible, he said JDPC hopes to bring home, rehabilitate and give those who have gone through such negative experience, reasons why they can stay and make it here in Nigeria.
Udu Azu, Coordinator, Female Returnee Migrants’ Network disclosed that her network supports female returnee migrants from various countries, particularly, survivors of human trafficking. The survivor of irregular migration, said most issues of migration are with people in vulnerable situations, who end up in trafficking, adding that her agency does its best to provide psychosocial support, as well as referrals to organisations that support the victims. She disclosed that sometimes, they carry out skill acquisition training to ensure that the young women who are coming back have a good start, adding that some find themselves in situations such as debt bondage which the traffickers put them in.
According to her, “Some are put in situations of debt which they are asked to pay upon arrival. These situations put them in vulnerable state where they are made to do various kinds of jobs that endanger them, including sex exploitation/ sex trade, domestic servitude and forced labour which endanger their health.”
