… Holds Dialogue Sept 8 In Lagos
Migration Enlightenment Project Nigeria,(MEPN), a Diaspora initiative has advised young Nigerians not to risk the danger of seeking to travel to Europe irregularly through North Africa and across the Mediterranean.
The advice is coming following the declaration of a state of emergency in Tripoli on Sunday and the new UNHCR report released on Monday on causalities in the Mediterranean.
In an official statement jointly signed by Co-Project Director (MEPN), Kenneth Gbandi and another Co-Project Director (MEPN), Femi Awoniyi, the group stated that the recent events have made it once more important to emphasise the danger of seeking to travel to Europe irregularly through North Africa and across the Mediterranean.
A report by the UN refugee agency UNHCR, issued on 3 September,2018 stated that while the number of migrants arriving in Europe from Libya has dropped, the proportion of this year compared to one death for every 42 in the same period in 2017,” notes the report.
In the document made available to journalist, MEPN further revealed that some 1,600 people are feared to have died on the central Mediterranean route from the start of the year to end of July. The latest report poignantly shows that seeking to cross the sea amounts to sheer suicidal adventure.
In a related development, the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) in Tripoli declared a state of emergency on Sunday following days of fighting between rival armed groups in Tripoli.
The renewed clashes have plunged Libya in yet deeper chaos, further jeopardising the lives of about 8,000 migrants trapped and arbitrarily detained in the city’s detention centres. Many of these detainees are Nigerians.
“The recent fighting demonstrates that Libya is not a safe place and would-be migrants to Europe should avoid that country as they will be exposed to mortal danger. In view of the foregoing developments, the Migration Enlightenment Project Nigeria would like to advise would-be migrants to seek legal and safe ways of realising their goal to avoid unnecessary suffering and deaths”, MEPN stated.
Meanwhile, MEPN will hold a ‘Stakeholders’ Roundtable Dialogue on Migration’ – a series of consultation with civil society, in Lagos on 8 September.
The event is part of the activities of the MEPN, a public awareness campaign promoting safe migration in Nigeria.
The Stakeholders’ Roundtable Dialogue brings together youths, students, educationists, parents and multipliers, such as journalists, artists and religious leaders, among others, to exchange ideas and experiences on issues deriving from irregular migration.
