Thirteen out of 42 Nigerians, who had earlier been arrested, in Mozambique have been deported with no known charges or offences.
While the Mozambican authorities claimed they had no proper documentation, all the deportees , except one , whose visa expired a day before the deportation, showed evidence of complete documentation.
Receiving the deportees at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos on behalf of Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman/CEO, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) , Mr Dipo Odebowale , noted that the Nigerians were not fairly treated by the Mozambique authorities, and was optimistic that the Minister of Foreign Affairs will take the matter up with the Mozambican Minister of Foreign Affairs.
The returnees were warmly welcomed to Nigeria and the NIDCOM boss expressed sympathy for their unpleasant experience, while encouraging them to maintain a positive outlook for the future.
The deportees who arrived via South African Airways flight SA60, reported that they were arrested at their respective business premises in Maputo, detained without committing any offence, despite holding valid documents permitting their continued residence in Mozambique.
They further indicated that 29 Nigerians remain incarcerated in Maputo and appealed for urgent intervention on their behalf.
Among the deportees were all adult males, who sought the Commission’s assistance in securing justice and redress for the injustices they endured.
Dabiri-Erewa, while appealing to Nigerians to obey laws of countries they reside , emphasised that no Nigerian should be punished for an offence they did not commit .
NAMES OF ALL 42
1. AUGUSTINE CHUKWUKA OKEKE
2. MAXIMUS ANAYO
3. OKECHUKWU BENJAMIN ECHE
4. ANAEROBI IKENNA MARTINS
5. STEPHEN ANAYO OKONGWE
6. ONWUJEWE RAYMOND
7. CHUKWUNAZOR0M DONATUS JOHN
8. AGINAM CHUKWUENYEM DAVID
9. COLLINS ADERITO UZOEWULU
10. OKONKWO NNAMDI JOHNPAUL
11. ONWUNYILI LAWRENCE
CHUKWUEMEKA
12. UGOCHUKWU VALENTINE EZECHIEDUM
13. NNAMDI OKECHUKWU
14. CELESTINE OKALU
15. GOODLUCK CHUKWUNYERE EPHRAIN
16. EBUKA AMUH PABLO
17. CHUKWUEMEKA STEVEN UGWU
18. CISLOUYINDIKA IFEANYI EZEIFEOMA
19. CHINEDU DANIEL IGWILO
20. IDEH SAMUEL EZINWA
21.OGOCHUKWU MICHAEL OKONKWOR
22. OKECHUKWU CHRISTOPHER
23. CHINEDU OKEKE
24. CHUKWUEBUKA TOBECHUKWU ORAKA
25. SIMON NNAEMEKA
26. ONYEKA EMMANUEL UFONDO
27. CHIDERA CHRISTOPHER
28. NZUBE KINGSLEY EBERE
29. EKENE SAMUEL NWANA
30. CHRISTIAN EMEKA MUOKA
31. GERALD EMEKA GODWIN
32.OGU INYANG
33. OLUEBUBECHUKWU VICTOR MADUKA
34. ONYEDIKA KINGSLEY
35.DONATUS UCHI
36. CHINECHEREM ALU
37. EMMANUEL ANENE UGWU
38. MUONEKE MATEUS
39. MARTIN TOCHUKWU MBAKWE
40. IKECHUKWU NWALI
41.LOTANNA OKEKE
42.EMEKA HENRY EKENTA