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Empower Nigerian Returnees From Libya, Europe, Nacta Urges FG
A non-governmental organisation, the Network of Civil Society Organisations Against Child Trafficking, Abuse and Labour (NACTAL), has urged the Federal Government to empower Nigerian returnees from Libya and European countries.
National President of the network, Mr. Adaramola Emmanuel, gave the advice in an interview, on Thursday, in Abuja.
Emmanuel said that this would prevent the returnees from falling into the hands of traffickers again.
He also urged the Federal Government to take into consideration the foundation and areas of interest of the returnees while empowering them on skills acquisition.
According to him, some of them may be into auto mechanic, hair dressing and selling of spare parts before they were trafficked to Europe.
“Before empowering them, their psychology must be worked on, give them psychosocial support and refresh their memories.
“Temporal accommodation should be provided for them to stay for at least a year.
“There are some government abandoned houses in some states that can be used for that,” he said.
Emmanuel also suggested that some of them could be used as translators in embassies or as tourist guide.
He commended the Oba of Benin for paying monthly stipends to some of the returnees, urging other traditional rulers and wealthy Nigerians to also assist them.
Emmanuel appealed to the banks and telecommunication companies to include the returnees in their Corporate Social Responsibility programmes in order to resettle them.
The International Organisation for Migration (IOM), with funding from the EU, has facilitated the return and reintegration of over 7, 000 Nigerian migrants from April 2017 to date.
According to IOM, crossing the Mediterranean to Europe is by far the deadliest route, with one death recorded for 35 arrivals.
“Many of the migrants were tricked, forced or persuaded to leave their homes for better opportunities abroad.
“They entered Libya through several illegal routes with the hope of crossing the Mediterranean Sea to Europe.
“But they were stranded, living in terrible conditions and seeking the opportunity to return home when they could no longer continue their journeys to their final destinations.’’
Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has called on Nigerians to reject silence in the face of extrajudicial killings and other abuses of human rights.
Soyinka stressed that accountability and civic courage remain essential to rebuilding public confidence in the nation’s institutions.
He made the call during the 28th Wole Soyinka Lecture held in Port Harcourt, last Friday as part of activities marking his 92nd birthday.
The lecture, themed “Reclaiming the Nigerian State through Accountability, Justice and Civic Courage,” drew participants from different sectors of society.
The renowned playwright and human rights advocate said the country’s greatest tragedy was not only the unlawful killings carried out by state and non-state actors, but also the silence that often follows such incidents, allowing perpetrators to evade justice.
According to him, indifference by citizens to abuses of power and violations of fundamental human rights has contributed to the persistence of extrajudicial killings and other forms of injustice across the country.
Soyinka said he dedicated this year’s lecture to victims of unlawful killings, noting that the event was intended to honour individuals who had lost their lives as a result of failures within the justice system and society’s inability to protect the sanctity of human life.
He stressed that the lecture was dedicated to what he described as the basic unit of every society – the human being, and urged Nigerians to place greater value on human dignity irrespective of ethnicity, religion or social status.
The Nobel Laureate recalled several incidents of violence, including the fatal shooting and killing of a young man in Ugheli in Delta State by a police officer, and the mob killing of Deborah Yakubu in Sokoto State sometime ago, lamenting that many of those responsible are yet to face justice.
He expressed concern that some perpetrators of violent crimes had openly admitted their actions without fear of prosecution, describing such situations as evidence of serious failures within the nation’s justice system.
Soyinka maintained that when justice is delayed or denied, public confidence in state institutions continues to erode, thereby encouraging further violations of human rights.
Responding to critics who accuse him of promoting religious or ethnic divisions whenever he spoke on such issues, Soyinka dismissed the allegations and pointed out that his advocacy has always centred on the protection of human life and the rule of law.
He urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and continue demanding justice in cases of alleged extrajudicial killings, including the recent shooting of a young man by a police officer, stressing that every life deserves equal protection under the law.
The literary icon also recalled an earlier pledge by a past incoming president to make public the files relating to unresolved assassinations and extrajudicial killings, questioning the status of the promised investigations.
He challenged citizens to continue asking questions about unresolved cases, insisting that justice, accountability and respect for human dignity are indispensable to building a peaceful, democratic and inclusive Nigerian society.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has clarified that there was no fire at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, contrary to its earlier advisory.
Earlier yesterday, FAAN had announced that a fire incident had occurred at Terminal 2 of the nation’s busiest airport, and assured that its Aerodrome Rescue and Firefighting Service had been deployed to contain the situation.
There were also reports that activities were briefly disrupted at the airport yesterday after smoke was seen inside parts of the terminal.
Videos circulating online showed passengers kept standing outside the terminal while firefighters responded to the incident.
However, in an update issued less than two hours later by the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire, and posted on FAAN’s official X handle, the authority said preliminary findings showed that the smoke seen at the terminal was caused by the discharge of the facility’s FM-200 fire suppression system.
“Further to our earlier advisory regarding the incident at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) wishes to provide the following update,” the statement read.
“Preliminary findings indicate that there was no fire at the terminal. The smoke observed within the affected area resulted from the discharge of the terminal’s FM-200 fire suppression system. The reason for the activation of the fire suppression system is currently being investigated,” FAAN stated.
The authority said normal operations had resumed at the terminal while investigations were ongoing to determine the cause of the incident.
“Normal operations have since resumed at the terminal, while detailed investigations are ongoing to determine the exact cause of the incident,” the statement added.
The authority thanked passengers, airlines, airport users and other stakeholders for their understanding and cooperation.
FAAN appreciated the understanding and cooperation of passengers, airlines, airport users and all stakeholders, and reiterated its commitment to the safety and security of all airport operations.