The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) has expressed dissatisfaction with the deportation of 40 Nigerians from Mozambique, emphasizing that due process was not followed.
The deported individuals were among 42 Nigerians arrested in the country, an action the commission described as inhumane and a violation of their human rights, as they were randomly picked, detained, and sent back home despite having valid documentation.
“The deportation did not follow due process. Those affected were randomly arrested, detained, and deported despite having proper documentation,” NIDCOM spokesperson Abdur-Rahman Balogun said in a statement.
According to the commission, Mozambican authorities claimed the arrests were part of routine immigration enforcement operations in the capital, Maputo.
“It is saddening that while all of this was going on, the Mozambican authorities did not reach out to the Nigerian Embassy, and all emissaries from the Embassy were rebuffed,” the statement added.
The deportees arrived in Nigeria in three batches of 13, 16, and 11 people, respectively, aboard South African Airways flight SA60 and Ethiopian Airlines on March 24, 26, and 27.
NIDCOM noted that of the two Nigerians still in Mozambique, one is married to a Mozambican citizen, while the other was born in the country.
The commission also alleged that money confiscated from the Nigerians during detention was not returned upon deportation, with additional sums reportedly taken from their mobile applications.
“They were detained for several days before being processed for deportation,” the statement said.
