Concern has mounted following the deportation of 13 Nigerians from Mozambique under circumstances described as unjust and lacking due process, with no formal charges brought against them.
The deportees, part of a group of 42 Nigerians earlier arrested in Maputo, were returned to Nigeria despite presenting valid documentation authorising their stay. Mozambican authorities had claimed the individuals lacked proper papers, but all except one—whose visa reportedly expired a day before deportation—provided evidence of complete documentation.
Receiving the returnees at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on behalf of Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman/CEO of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Mr. Dipo Odebowale condemned the treatment meted out to the Nigerians, describing it as unfair.
Odebowale expressed optimism that Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs would escalate the matter with his Mozambican counterpart to seek clarification and ensure justice. He noted that diplomatic engagement would be crucial in addressing the alleged rights violations.
The deportees, who arrived aboard a South African Airways flight SA60, recounted that they were arrested at their various business premises in Maputo and detained without committing any known offence. They maintained that they possessed valid residence permits at the time of their arrest.
The group further revealed that 29 other Nigerians remain in detention in Mozambique, calling for urgent intervention by Nigerian authorities to secure their release and ensure their safety.
All the deportees—adult males—have appealed for assistance from the Commission in seeking redress and accountability for what they described as unjust treatment.
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While expressing sympathy for their ordeal, Dabiri-Erewa urged Nigerians living abroad to respect the laws of their host countries. She, however, stressed that no citizen should be punished without committing an offence, reiterating the Federal Government’s commitment to protecting Nigerians in the diaspora.
The incident has raised fresh concerns over the treatment of Nigerians abroad and the need for stronger diplomatic safeguards to protect citizens against arbitrary arrest and deportation.
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