NLC urges FG, AU to kick against maltreatment of migrants

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called on the Federal Government to partner with the African Union to kick against maltreatment of African migrants by the European countries.

Mr Ayuba Wabba, NLC president, who made the call in Abuja on Thursday while speaking with newsmen, said that over 10, 000 Nigerians are in various detention camps waiting to be deported.

Wabba said that Nigeria as a nation must convince the Africa Union to take a tougher collective stand against the maltreatment of African migrants.

“We have an ongoing migration crisis where our youth take unimaginable risk traveling from Nigeria and other West African countries to Europe.

“They also cross the harsh terrain in the Sahara Desert and through the Mediterranean Sea upon reaching Libya in their quest for imagined greener pasture in Europe.

“In the process, there is a recent thriving slave market on migrants of African descent, including Nigerians, passing through Libya to Europe for work.

“The African migrants are sold for ridiculous amounts and are held in ransom for up to three or more months to engage in force labour and sexual exploitation,” he said.

Wabba also said that mass graves have been discovered in the desert where 3,777 persons had died in 2015, while 600 were officially recorded last year to have lost their lives.

The NLC president noted that over 90 per cent of the youth, who undertake this hazardous and precarious journey, does it due to economic reasons.

Wabba called on the different tiers of government to see the degrading treatment of its nationals by other nations as a compelling challenge to fix the country and the economy.

“So, that the much sought after jobs and decent living can be provided here in our country and in the African continent.

“This is why we will continue to ask our various governments to deliver on their electoral promises to create millions of jobs for our teeming youthful population, he said.

He, therefore, called on government to impress it on other nations that its citizens must be treated with dignity, if they have to be repatriated home from destination countries.

Wabba also said as organised labour, they are taking up the issues with their counterparts in Europe and elsewhere where the inhuman treatment of Nigerians manifest.

He said that labour has also started an awareness programme among youth against the unreal belief that there is a greener pasture out there in Europe and America.

“It is important that we need to necessarily work together to make our government care and accountable.

“As Nigerians and as Africans, we must endeavour to get our governments to protect our citizens from the double jeopardy of hostility,” he said.