Detention of Africans in Poland detention centre unacceptable – Abike Dabiri-Erewa

 

The profiling and imprisonment of Nigerians and other African people in Poland detention camps is very unacceptable and reprehensible, according to Hon. (Dr.) Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman/CEO, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM).

This was said by Dr. Abike Dabiri-Erewa during the Psycho-social Trauma Clinic for Ukraine Returnees in Abuja, which was organized in collaboration with the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI) and Project Victory Call Initiative (PVC).

She noted that, despite President Mohammadu Buhari’s efforts to ensure that Nigerians caught up in the conflict returned home, some chose to remain in countries such as Poland, emphasizing that the most appropriate action for Poland to take was to return them to their countries rather than keep them in tortuous detention centers.

The NiDCOM boss said that the two-day clinic was preliminary, as it will be a continuous exercise. In the six geo-political zones. NiDCOM has also partnered with The Sunshine Series by creating a 24 hours helpline (#112) for returnees who need counseling.

According to Mrs. Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, Federal Commissioner, Refugees Commission, “We tend to ignore our mental health but mental health is key. As Nigerians, we have a lot of resilience we have that ability, but not everybody has the same threshold when it comes to resilience and hence the need for this particular platform so that those that need extra support or extra care and assistance, can be able to access it”.

Mrs. Sulaiman Ibrahim stated that the NCFRMI is the focal organ for government for rehabilitation, resettlement, and integration. So psychosocial support is the core of rehabilitation.

She went further to explain that NCFRMI has offices in about 14 locations. And are ready to make their offices available to ensure that collaboration with the Project Victory Call Initiative (PVC) team and academic experts make this counseling easily accessible for the returnees.

Dr. Bolaji Akinyemi, Convener Project Victory Call Initiative (PVC) commended the Chairman/CEO NiDCOM and the National Commissioner for NCFRMI and the entire team for the initiative behind the program and applauded both organizations for their immediate response.

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Dr. Akinyemi stressed the importance for the prompt creation of this program, stating that trauma has caused mental and socio-psychological issues.

He further notified the returnees that the services provided by the PVC Initiative will be free and accessible to any and every returnee with no cost to the government.

Mr. Fehintola Damilola Moses, President of Nigeria Students in Ukraine applauded President Mohammadu Buhari, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Hon. (Dr.) Abike Dabiri-Erewa and the Nigerian in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) team, the Nigerian Ambassador to Ukraine, Amb Shina Feege , Nigerian diaspora organizations, NGOs, and all other government agencies for the prompt response and rescue of the students from Ukraine.

He expressed how brutal the situation was and the terrifying experiences most of them faced during the war between Russia and Ukraine. From spending nights in an inadequate bunker to being racially profiled in some instances

In his words” We had to boil snow to drink water “