2 October 2009
Anthony Omoh — Over 734 Nigerians have been deported from Libya in a spate of four days, Daily Champion has learnt.
The Libyan authorities deported 150 Nigerians on September 27, with an aircraft with registration SUBME.
Twenty four hours later, the second batch of Nigerian deportees arrived the shores of the country with another 150. While the deportees were still going through immigration processes, the North African country deported another 150, all males. The same aircraft brought the latest deportees.
The following day, September 29, another 150 were deported from the country and only last Tuesday, 134 Nigerians comprising 88 females and 46 males were deported from the country with the same aircraft.
Sources told our correspondent that no fewer than 1064 Nigerians had been deported from Libya in the last one month while the deportees have been handed over to their families.
He revealed that most of the deportees did not have the required papers to stay in the North African country, adding that some of them claimed refugee status in a bid to enter Europe especially Spain from Libya.
He said some Nigerians had lost their lives in this process while recalling a ship that capsized about a week ago on Spain water consisting of African illegal immigrants mainly Nigerians.
Daily Champion gathered that the Libyan government was bent on reducing illegal immigrants while it equally wants to ensure that it is not used as a crossing point to Europe because of its closeness to European countries most especially Spain.
One of the deportees who spoke to our correspondent said they were brought back to Nigeria on Monday.
He said the Libyan authorities arrested all of them, particularly those who they were trying to make their way to Europe while others were arrested for illegal immigration, robbery, prostitution and other related offences.
Another deportee, who spoke to Daily Champion under condition of anonymity, said the security officials treated them shabbily.
"We were beating like animals; treated like outcasts; and condemned to death even before any proper prosecution process could take place. More than 200 of us were packed inside a room like frozen fish," he said.
The deportees who were described as "illegal immigrants" by the Libyan authorities are mainly from Zamwia-Zamzu prison in Tripoli.
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