Endless attacks, humiliation of Nigerians abroad raise concerns

There are concerns over the incessant attacks and humiliation of Nigerians in foreign lands.

This is as citizens continue to move out of the country in droves amid the prevailing hardship in the country.

In the last few months, there have been reports of maltreatment of many Nigerians abroad, even by fellow African countries.

However, despite the cries for justice from their loved ones, they hardly get one.

Reports show that over the past seven years, more than 350 Nigerians have been murdered extrajudicially in foreign countries.

Most of them fell victim to non-state actors with no justifiable reason for their deaths.

Most recently, precisely on June 26, 2024, a wave of protests broke out outside the Republic of Benin Embassy in Abuja, as Nigerians, particularly youths, rallied to demand the release of Pastor Benjamin Egbaji.

The Nigerian cleric, who is a native of Cross River State, has been detained in Benin for over a year.

Pastor Egbaji, who heads a church, Église De Miracle Et Action Du Saint Esprit in Benin, was accused of rape by Pede Victoire, a citizen of Benin.

Egbaji has remained in detention without trial. He is said to be subjected to harsh conditions, including being chained in a hospital.

The protesters decried the prolonged detention of Pastor Egbaji without due process and the lack of a fair trial.

Recall that in response to these injustices, the previous administration under President Muhammadu Buhari established the Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), tasked with addressing the mistreatment and welfare of Nigerians abroad, with a particular focus on those unjustly imprisoned.

Chronicles of Nigerians killed in foreign lands

NiDCOM’s chairman, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, in 2022 revealed the alarming rate of killing of Nigerian students in Northern Cyprus.

According to her, over a span of six years, 13 Nigerians had been slain.

In July 2022, the murder of 39-year-old Nigerian, Alika Ogorchukwu, by an Italian man shocked the nation.

Ogorchukwu was beaten to death on a busy street, in full view of onlookers.

In the same month, two Nigerian security guards, Tosin Amos-Arowoshegbe and Chibueze Momah, were gunned down while on duty in Vaughan, Canada.

Another citizen, Chizoba Favour Eze died in an Ethiopian prison after being brutally beaten by prison officials. Chizoba was left untreated for days, eventually succumbing to her injuries.

Nigerians in South Africa have faced relentless xenophobic attacks. Since 2016, over 200 Nigerians have been killed extrajudicially.

Others remain in jail without trial

Sadly, many Nigerians have continued to languish in various prisons abroad due to minor offenses or no offence at all.

In 2021, data published by Patriotic Citizens Initiatives, a civil society group, indicated that 170,000 Nigerians were serving terms for drugs/human trafficking and other minor offences across the world.

This reflected a sharp rise from the 16,300 recorded in 2012, out of which 6,500 were on death row.

PCI also said that as many as 8,000 Nigerians were incarcerated in Chinese prisons, 3,719 in Canadian prisons, while British jail houses were home to some 750 Nigerian inmates.

India also held about 1,000 Nigerian prisoners. Indonesia imprisoned 200 Nigerians, with 40 of the inmates on death row.5 Oct 2023.

Even in neighbouring Benin Republic, over 3,000 Nigerians are being held behind bars.

Ayobamidele Kehinde, the International Director for Dynamic Ambassadors For Social Transformation and Orientation Initiative, told DAILY POST that the story of Benjamin Egbaji is one of many among the attacks on Nigerians in the neigbbouring West African nation.

He said, “I want the Nigerian people, the good people in Benin Republic and indeed the people of the world to rise up; this thing I am telling you is not just about Benjamin Egbaji, but Benjamin Egbaji’s case is just like a case that is opening up a can of worms that we have.

“There are thousands of Nigerians in Benin Republic prisons who have not committed any offence or committed minor offences and they are sentenced to prison just because they are Nigerians.

“I want to give you an instance; when this whole thing started, I called a prominent businessman in Benin Republic and said please one of our prominent brothers is having a case, how can you help.

“The man pleaded with me, he said ‘here, don’t just by mistake get into any trouble, they will finish you and every of your investment they will go with it’”.

Also speaking with DAILY POST, Mr Abdur-Rahman Balogun of the Media and Public Relations Unit of the Nigerians in the Diaspora Commission, attributed most of the cases to what he described as “communication gap” and lack of respect for rules to foreign lands.

According to him, “Whenever we hear of any case, we link up with our embassy’s interesting countries.

“And then to do a total investigation. Because in most cases, like I said, we discover that some of our nationals are at fault. In some cases we discover that it is a communication gap.

“Look at the case in Dubai. There was a law that says you should not be taking pictures of the airport.

“A lady got there and saw a scene and started recording. They got her arrested and sentenced her to prison.

“They have their own law and if you get there, you have to obey.”

In the case of Pastor Benjamin Egbaji, Balogun said the Nigerian government was interested in the case and was making necessary efforts to make sure his rights were not trampled upon.

“Yes, we received a letter dated March 5, 2024, from his lawyer over the issue. We reached out to our ambassador in Benin Republic, who is also on the matter.

“The matter is already in court. But notwithstanding, we sent some lawyers there to make sure they didn’t trample on his fundamental human rights,” he revealed.

When informed that the pastor is currently being chained to bed and his health is failing, Balogun said he was just hearing that for the first time

“Well, I am just hearing that for the first time. He has a lawyer. It is when you don’t have a lawyer that you will panic.

“Apart from his lawyer, we also supported him with two lawyers,” he added.