No fewer than 500 migrants from West African countries, including Nigeria, deported from Gabon on Thursday berthed at the National Inland Waterways Authority jetty in Calabar, Cross River State after four days on the high sea.
One person, whose identity could not be disclosed, was said to have died shortly before departure from Gabon (also a West African country) and the corpse was removed from the ship with registration number EMILIANA CARNEIRO L-05-IS-2017.
A breakdown of the deportees showed that 36 of them are from Nigeria, 130 from Mali, Burkina Faso (87), Senegal (51), Niger (39), Guinea Conakry (37), Ghana (eight), Togo (43), Benin (21) and Gambia (3).
It was learnt that Gabon had on June 23 deported 590 citizens of other West African countries through the same Calabar waterways largely as a result of the lack of valid travel documents.
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Apart from the Nigerians that were taken to NIWA office to be scrutinised by the immigration authorities for proper documentation, the other deportees were escorted straight into four waiting luxurious buses with capacity of 60 passengers each and 10 Toyota Hiace buses (18-seater each).
The Controller of Nigeria Immigration Service in Cross River State, Mrs. Funke Adeuyi, confirmed that the deportees were over 500 as against the 455 figure that was in the manifest.
She said the migrants would be transported to the nearest boarder to their country.
An angry Nigerian from Akwa Ibom State, Victor Elijah (35), said he could not fathom why he was deported, insisting that he had all his valid documents with him.
Elijah, who said he did legitimate business in Gabon, lamented that apart from his business that was shut down, he had been separated from his wife, a Gabonese, and only son.
He said, “I have spent more than 10 years in Gabon doing legitimate business. I used to travel from Gabon to Dubai to buy goods. I have all their documents required of a foreigner.
“I only had problem with my neighbour and one day I just saw that I was to be deported. I have no regrets coming back to my country but I hope someday I will reunite with my family.”
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A deported Ghanaian citizen, Maku Adamou, admitted that he was deported because he did not have a valid travel document.
He berated Gabonese authorities over what he referred to as ‘ill treatment’ given to foreigners, especially from West Africa.
“They arrested us and put us in detention after which they said they would return us to our countries, which they have done. They said people from West Africa were animals.
“I want to tell my fellow West African brothers not to ever dream of going to Gabon because they do welcome strangers not even when you have valid papers.
“Besides, there is not good work apart from being a taxi driver. I will never ever go back to Gabon. I use to wash car and do night security job in Gabon. One person died before we started this movement and the corpse was removed. Another lady also gave birth and she was removed too,” he recounted.
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