Reps ask Lebanese govt to stop abuse of Nigerians

…As immigration boss acuses top politician of halting arrest of illegal immigrants

By Levinus Nwabughiogu, Abuja

House of Representatives committee on Diaspora yesterday called on the Lebanese government to stop the maltreatment of a Nigerian lady Temitope Olamide who was reportedly maltreated by her employers and wrongly accused of murder.

The House also advocated for similar freedom for other Nigerians undergoing same fate in the country.

Also, the Controller General of Immigration, Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja Command, Sadat Hassan said that some top politicians were halting the arrest of illegal immigrants.

The chairman of the House commitee on Diaspora, Tolulope Akande Sadipe made the call to Lebanese government during an oversight visit to airport.

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It will be recalled that Temitope Olamide Ariwolo, 31, was beaten by Mahmoud Zahran, the husband of her employer, Feyzeh Diab, on April 25, 2020 at a home where they live in Choueifat, South of Beirut.

Fadipe stressed that the Lebanese Government must be held responsible for the violation of Temitope’s rights which is in violation of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) .

He said “We Nigerians are really concerned about Temitope because in the recent past two other Nigerian women have died in mysterious circumstances.

“A few months ago, a video of Temitope Ariwolo circulated on the internet regarding the violation of her human rights and that of other foreign domestic workers trafficked to Lebanon.

“However, in the case of Temitope, she has been prevented from, being repatriated back to Nigeria and is currently being charged for murder. It is very obvious that these are trumped up charges to punish this young woman for taking on her employer and the system in Lebanon.

“In addition, this is also an attempt by the Lebanese Ambassador in Nigeria to pervert justice, as he has requested that the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (“NAPTIP”) release a Lebanese national on trial for Human Trafficking in exchange for Temitope.”

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Responding to the lawmakers enquiry during the visit, the controller general, told the members that the Immigration officals don’t have the right to arrest or prevent a passenger who is an adult and have a valued document for traveling.

“If a citizen had a valued documentand he or she is adult, it is difficult to stop them, we don’t have a right to stop such a person” she said.

She also disclosed that her team was able to prevent many violations of Nigerians living abroad when she was ported to Germany as an attache.

The lawmakers were conducted around the immigration sessions at the airport to inspect equipment like  Data Analysis System (MIDAS), capturing cameras among others.

Vanguard