Thirteen Nigerians have been deported from Mozambique following their arrest alongside 29 others, in what authorities described as an immigration-related action.
The deportees arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on Friday, where they were received by officials of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM).
Speaking on behalf of the Commission’s Chairman/CEO, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Mr. Dipo Odebowale expressed concern over the treatment meted out to the Nigerians by Mozambican authorities. He noted that although the authorities cited lack of proper documentation, most of the deportees presented valid documents, with only one individual reported to have had an expired visa a day before deportation.
According to the returnees, they were arrested at their various business locations in Maputo and detained despite possessing valid residence permits. They described their ordeal as unjust, insisting they had committed no offence.
The deportees, all adult males, also disclosed that 29 Nigerians remain in detention in Maputo and appealed for urgent intervention by the Nigerian government to secure their release.
Odebowale expressed optimism that Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs would engage its Mozambican counterpart to address the situation and ensure justice for those affected.
While sympathising with the deportees over their experience, Dabiri-Erewa urged Nigerians living abroad to respect the laws of their host countries, stressing that no citizen should be punished unjustly.
The returnees arrived in Nigeria aboard a South African Airways flight SA60 and were received with support and reassurance from NiDCOM officials.
