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Maduekwe demands amnesty for Nigerian immigrants in Europe

By Oluwole Josiah, Abuja

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chief Ojo Maduekwe, has said that it is time for European countries to grant amnesty to Nigerians living in Europe without relevant travel documents.

Photo file OJO MADUEKWE

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He told journalists in Abuja that the move would facilitate a stronger tie between Nigeria and Europe, particularly with regards to the strategic economic partnership.

He said his meeting with the EU officials dwelt on issues of assisting Nigeria in its drive to attain speedy economic development and the welfare of its citizens in Europe.

He said, “I told them and I was not joking when I said so, that when they came to Africa 500 years ago, they did not come in with visas; and they developed Europe.

“I as a foreign minister cannot be on record to say that it is in order that Nigerians should go to any country without travel papers.

“But when it happens, those Nigerians have not done anything different from what those Europeans who came to Africa 500 years ago without visa did.

“Since we did not criminalise those Europeans, we did not demonise those Europeans; they should not criminalise those Nigerians who come to their own countries without visa papers; especially if those Nigerians when they arrive are law abiding; are doing the kind of work that add value to the European economy. Some of the jobs are jobs which their own people are willing to do, if those Nigerians are doing them.

“It is time to grant amnesty to them and regularise their papers, when they do that we can begin to take a serious look at a new strategic partnership.”

He also said the ongoing development of bio fuel in developed world was a threat to food security and the Nigeria‘s economy, which is largely depended on petroleum.

Maduekwe said the idea of bio fuel suggested that the world would experience food shortage as most of the corn and rice fields would be dedicated to the needs of bio fuel factories around the world.

He said the implication for Africa and Nigeria in particular would be that food that ought to be used to feed the poor would be channeled to producing fuel, thereby worsening food scarcity in a continent already impoverished.

According to Maduekwe, the worse thing that could happen to Nigeria in the event of the full development of bio fuel technology would be the devaluation of Nigeria‘s crude oil by Europe and this would endanger the nation‘s economy.

The minister said he had also made this known the leadership of the EU, hoping that they would give it a thought in their dealings with Africa.