IHRC NIGERIA GIVES GUIDELINES ON HUMAN RIGHTS & CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS OF IMMIGRANTS & ASYLUM SEEKERS
After the approval of the IHRC Africa Region HQ for the IHRC Nigeria to look into policies that are an affront to Nigeria’s commitment to liberty and to various human rights treaty obligations, Nigeria is a signatory that prohibit arbitrary detention or persecution of asylum seekers who are in Nigeria legally to escape violence for prolonged periods of time, the IHRC Nigeria Coordinator/Special Envoy Darlington Amadi Chidiebere has made a case for the republication of his courtesy visit to Nigeria’s Comptroller General of Immigration Mr David Parradang in 2014.
Desirous that every immigrant and asylum seeker in Nigeria should have access to immigration court custody hearing, the IHRC Africa Region HQ Director/Ambassador, H.E Dr. Tivlumun Innocent Ahure stated that these are individuals who fled traumatizing circumstances and should not be sent to jails and correctional facilities. Dr. Ahure said the human rights of these categories of the vulnerable must be protected and the Immigration Service needs to grant them access to hearings to contest any reason adduced for putting them into detention.
The country’s Constitution avails to the Immigration Authority the discretion on these issues but not to become both jailer and judge. This is called due process and in tandem with International Best Practices. The report of the courtesy visit by the IHRC Nigeria which Darlington Amadi Chidiebere submitted indicated that the guidelines for the protection of the human rights and constitutional rights of asylum seekers and immigrants were submitted to the Nigeria Immigration Service.
The Comptroller General was elated to receive the document and pledge to ensure that the leadership cadres of the Service become accustomed to the guidelines. At the headquarters of the Immigration Service, the IHRC Nigeria was presented with the donation of computer office equipment to assist in their work in Nigeria. The IHRC Nigeria then conducted an inspection of the facilities of the Nigeria Immigration Service.
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