Deportation against all circumstances – Tuesday 14.12.2021

Its been all about Corona for almost two years now. While we tried everything last year to spend Christmas with our loved ones in total lockdown, this summer featured some hope to seem like the Pandemic would be over. But unfortunately in this Christmas, the covid 19 infection situation doesn’t look any better. Everything should at this time be as “normal” as possible. With 3G, 2G and 2G+ measures strictly in place, shops remain more or less accessible with very limited culture and leisure facilities, what is so normal is the deportations agenda during Christmas season, the festival of charity and human dignity.

So far in 2021, Germany has enforced not less than 200 onboard 7 charter deportation flight to Nigeria. Just between July and November alone, not less than 110 persons have been violently deported from Germany to Nigeria.

As Germany was set to enforce a charter deportation operation on Tuesday (14.12.21), news of a last minute cancellation sought the release of more than 10 Nigerians from Eichstätt – Baveria deportation prison alone, according to some of the released detainees. On their release, the Christmas present from the different local Aliens office was to opt for the so-called “Voluntary return” (self-deportation) on or before the middle of January. By failing to do so would means further criminalization and then a justification to keep them indefinately in custody until the deportation is enforced.

While some may have been lucky with the release from detention, the deportation prisons were at the same time been filled up with new people who were randomly arrested either from their workplace or at an appointment bait by the Alien Office. There are more than a dozen Nigerians detained in the n Pforzheim deportation prison right now.

This brings back to memory the deportation of 69 Afganistan nationals to insecurity in commemoration of Minister Seehofer” 69th birthday. This was was not just a mere coincidence but a show of racist pride and determination against global freedom of movement and the rights for asylum as proscribed even in Germany`s own constitution.

As we are all striving under the high corona incidences and being considerate with making a possible family Christmas which is so important to many, we need to ask with regard to the ongoing deportations, “where has human dignity gone during this time”? And in addition, What is the justification for further deportations even with the high incidences of corona and the new mutations of the virus?

The 7 days quarantine period offered by the Germany government in Lieu for landing permit in Lagos is unrealistic and not fully inline with the corona regulations. Germany is well known for impartiality when it comes to implementing actual norms in other countries. Most of the arriving deported persons do not have an actual residential address through which further followed up with regards to global need to contain further spread of the corona virus.

Our demand:

No issuance of landing permit for any deportation Flight from Germany and anywhere!

Stop the mobile embassy hearings and continued issuance of deportation certificate (Travelling certificate)!

Further more, we are asking the Nigerian government to take positive steps in addressing the situation of its citizens in Diaspora. The continued stigma and hate against Nigerians living abroad is unacceptable. Our government must engage with the German government in more practical terms rather than the ongoing returns and re-integration agenda imposed by the German Eurpean Government.

Deportation is torture, Deportation is Murder, Deportation is human rights abuse.

Migration is human right and no one should be criminalized for engaging in migration.

Support the DERS engagement for stranded deported persons.