50 Nigerians Deported from Eight EU Countries

Chinedu Eze

Over 50 Nigerians were thursday deported from eight European countries over immigration and drug related offences.

The countries include Germany, Switzerland, Luxemburg, Austria, Belgium, Spain, Hungary and Sweden.

The latest deportation is coming barely 48 hours after 40 Nigerians were deported for the same reasons from Italy and a week after 23 Nigerians were equally repatriated from United Kingdom.

The latest deportees arrived the country through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos with a chartered aircraft with flight number P6-6991 by 7:40a.m.

A source close to the Department of State Services (DSS) attached to the airport said that the deportees comprised 47 males and three females.

According to informed industry source, three of the deportees were repatriated for drug related issues while 47 others were returned for other immigration offences.

The source hinted that some of the 47 returnees entered the European countries with fake documents, illegal channels while others overstayed in the countries after the expiration of their visiting visas.

On arrival, the officials of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) at the airport profiled the deportees while those with criminal offences were handed over to Nigeria Police for further prosecution.

“Nigerians are nowadays regularly deported from different countries including some African countries. The rate is very alarming and another batch of Nigerians may be deported next week for same offences,” the source said.

Just in February, 43 Nigerians were returned into the country from three European countries; Germany, Belgium and Italy.

An Immigration official told THISDAY that there have been efforts to prevent those who did not provide convincing document to show that they are travelling overseas for meaningful ventures from travelling.

“But often we are criticised when we stop those people. They only look at the money paid for flight ticket and visa, but they do not consider the disgrace to the country. Watch videos of how Nigerians are slaughtered in Libya and other Arab countries and you see the reason those Nigerians should not be allowed to travel,” the Immigration official said.