23 Nigerians found in Europe-bound ships in Togo

The Nigerian Ambassador to Togo, Ambassador Matthew Sunday Adoli, who made this known in an interview in Lome expressed anger over the desperation to travel outside by Nigerians, especially youths. The Nigerian envoy said the trend that began sometime ago is resulting in the formation of  cartels as some individuals have turned it into another […]

The Nigerian Ambassador to Togo, Ambassador Matthew Sunday Adoli, who made this known in an interview in Lome expressed anger over the desperation to travel outside by Nigerians, especially youths. The Nigerian envoy said the trend that began sometime ago is resulting in the formation of  cartels as some individuals have turned it into another money making venture.
According to him, some of the 23 persons discovered by the Togolese authorities were believed to have been involved in the act before. Consequently, the Nigerian envoy has suggested to the Togolese authorities to adopt more stringent measures to curb illegal seafaring.
“And what annoys me about the whole business is that these people have turned it into a business. They come here they are discovered. The insurance company of the ship pays them US$ 300 each. We send them back home to Nigeria. They go to Apapa again, connive with the people- they are loaded into the ships and they come here. The host authorities told me that out of the 27 they recognized about seven of them as having made the rounds. And I told them that anybody found again should be prosecuted,” he said.
In a related development, 27 Nigerian girls trafficked to Togo earlier this year this year were rescued and sent back home. “I started having young girls being turned in to me by the host authorities. Young girls trafficked to Togo or from Togo going to other destinations. We have sent back 27 of them,” he said.
Adoli, who described human, arms and drug trafficking as some of the most unbridled acts Nigerians were engaged in the country, maintained that those who perpetrate them must be dealt with by the law. He further queried the rationale behind some of the actions, particularly as the present administration has rolled out several economic empowerment programmes to engage the youths.