Dillon meets Nigerian envoy on repatriating detainees

National Security Minister 
Edmund Dillon
National Security Minister Edmund Dillon

UPDATE:

The 16 Nigerians awaiting deportation at the Immigration Detention Centre could be repatriated soon if their travel documents are in order and if their court matters completed.

This was revealed yesterday by National Security Minister Edmund Dillon, who said he held talks with Nigerian High Commissioner Ganiyu Adekunle Adeyemi on Wednesday to discuss three proposals in an effort to expedite the repatriation of the Nigerians.

Dillon said the three options were getting the detainees or their relatives to buy their tickets to Nigeria; the High Commissioner assisting the detainees financially; or getting the government to pay for their travel.

Dillon said the first option is always available to the detainees, but they were unable to buy tickets.

He said when further discussions will determine the best option for the detainees.

“We are working on how best which one of these three options we will be able to execute...we also have to ensure that they have proper travel documents and once their nationality is confirmed, we will try to repatriate them through one of the three levels.”

He said the reason why some detainees have been at the IDC for as long as four years is because they do not have travel documents.

On another matter, the minister said there were some issues with the plumbing, electrical as well as the common room at the IDC not being air-conditioned, butsaid those problems are being ironed out. He said he has asked for a full report on a disturbance at the IDC last Thursday, in which seven detainees were taken into custody by Arima police for causing the disturbance and for the false imprisonment of an immigration officer. On Wednesday head of the Emancipation Support Committee Khafra Kambon said he will be writing to Dillon to ask for an independent investigation into the alleged disturbance.

Kambon accused government of failing to preserve the human rights of the African detainees and called for the repatriation of those with travel documents.

ORIGINAL STORY:

The 16 Nigerians awaiting deportation at the Immigration Detention Centre could be repatriated soon if their travel documents are in order and if their court matters completed.

This was revealed yesterday by National Security Minister Edmund Dillon, who said he held talks with Nigerian High Commissioner Ganiyu Adekunle Adeyemi on Wednesday to discuss three proposals in an effort to expedite the repatriation of the Nigerians.

Dillon said the three options were getting the detainees or their relatives to buy their tickets to Nigeria; the High Commissioner assisting the detainees financially; or getting the government to pay for their travel.

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