FG repatriates 260 Togolese immigrants

Posted by admin Africa & World Politics, Headlines Sunday, September 6th, 2015

By Monsur Olowoopejo

The Federal Government has repatriated 260 Togolese immigrants, barely three months after they applied for asylum in Nigeria.

The Federal Government through the Nigerian Immigration Service, NIS repatriated the Togolese immigrants last Saturday, ending their three months stay in Nigeria after arriving on foot through Seme border.

An official of the Lagos State Government and Mrs. Megan Chapman, Co-founder of Justice and Empowerment Initiatives, JEI, a Non-Governmental Organisation assisting the immigrants in their application for asylum, confirmed the repatriation to Vanguard yesterday.

Vanguard also gathered that the plan to repatriate the immigrants was concluded last Tuesday, after the state government assured the Federal Government of its readiness to provide the logistics to ensure success of the exercise.

Of the 260 Togolese Immigrants, 199 were under the care of the Lagos State government while the central government took responsibility for the others.

The immigrants in 2005 flee their homes following the post-electoral violence which erupted after the April 27th, 2005 presidential election in the country.

They were allegedly hunted down by the government for campaigning against the re-election of the son of the former Head of State, Faure Gnassingbe Nyadema.

When Vanguard visited the Lagos State Relief Camp at Igando, Igando-Ikotun Local Council Development Area, LCDA, one of the three designated Camps, none of the Togolese immigrants were sighted at the camp. Other camps in Igbogbo and Agbowa, Ikorodu; managed by the Federal and Lagos State government also recorded the same development.

Sources said that the immigrants were conveyed in three Bus Rapid Transits, BRT buses from the Camps simultaneously at about 10:00 am by NIS officials in collaboration with the Lagos State Government.

It was learned that prior to the final repatriation, NIS official had on August 24, 2015 allegedly taken 24 of the Togolese immigrants to Seme Border, Badagry for repatriation. They were held in a cell there from
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