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| Septuagenarian, 456 others languish in Brazil prisons – Dabiri-Erewa |
The Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Diaspora Affairs, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, said on Tuesday that a 72-year-old grandmother, 13 women and 443 other Nigerians are currently languishing in jail in Brazil for drug-related offences. Dabiri-Erewa, at a media briefing in Lagos, said the findings were made during a fact-finding mission to the South American country last week by the committee which included its Deputy-Chairman, Betty Appiafi and a member, Abdulrahman Terab. She explained that a Non Governmental Organisaton, Youths Without Borders, run by Taiwo and Kehinde Afolabi residing in Brazil, had earlier raised concern over the rising cases of Nigerian women serving jail terms for drug-related cases in Brazil. The lawmaker explained that the grandma, named Fausat Aosede, said she was assisted to Brazil by one Patricia for medical treatment. Aosede was quoted to have claimed that she was asked to deliver a bag to someone in Nigeria when the treatment was no longer feasible but was arrested in September last year at the airport in Brazil when drugs were discovered in the bag. According to Dabiri-Erewa, the committee was able to get an NGO, named IITA in Brazil, to place her on house arrest instead of prison. She added that the Director, Department of Immigrations, Ministry of Justice, Sao Paulo, Brazil, Dr. Izaura Miranda, who said the laws of the country had to be obeyed, noted that the lawyers would act speedily on her case since she was yet to be tried. Miranda also noted that the country’s law does not allow individuals above 70 years to be remanded in prison. Other women arrested for drug cases are Lara Salami (62), Theresa Ezezue (60), Vivian Ajibua (57), Moronranri Afolayan (48), Vivian Etuwe (31), Ajibola Olajumoke (36) and Amina Yussuf (51). Dabiri-Erewa added that only three among the women denied involvement in the act while the remaining admitted committing the offence. Lamenting that such development was not good for the country’s image, the lawmaker added that it was important for Nigeria to address the issues plaguing the country to make it a pride of place for its nationals. She said, ‘‘The most important thing is that we have to put our country right. The 72-year-old woman was said to have a visa which expired the day after she got to Brazil. There were no dry eyes among the inmates when members of the committee visited them at The Sao Paulo Women’s Prison. “Poverty is not an excuse to get involved in illicit trade.’’ |
| Over 1m Nigerians live in London – Mayor of London 04/05/2013 | MONSUR OLOWOOPEJO  Mayor of Brent, London, Micheal Adeyeye, has disclosed that the population of Nigerian immigrants in London has hit over 1 million people. |
| Mark on Nigerians in Diaspora 30/01/2013 | Abdulrahman Abdulrauf  The untoward attitude of some host countries towards Nigerians resident abroad recently received the attention of the Senate. ABDULRAHMAN A. ABDULRAUF writes on the need to stem the tide of unnecessar [ ... ] |
| NASS Demand Justice over Ugboaja's death 29/01/2013 | Administrator  Nigerian Killed in South African Police Custody |
| Nigerian students, footballers Languished in Egyptian Prison 25/01/2013 | Administrator  Facts have emerged that hundreds of Nigerian students and ootballers are languishing in various prisons in Egypt. |
| Dabiri calls for Nigeria-India joint Diaspora Commission - BusinessDay 23/01/2013 | News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)  Rep Abike Dabiri-Erewa, (ACN-Lagos) has called for the establishment of a joint action committee on Diaspora between Nigeria and India to harness the potentials of the Diasporas in the two countries. |
| Hon Abike Dabiri-Erewa Leads Delegation To India Diaspora Conference 08/01/2013 | Banjoko Chairperson, House of Representatives Committee on Diaspora Affairs, Rep Abike Dabiri-Erewa is to lead the Nigeria delegation to the 11th edition of India Diaspora day celebration holding in Kochi, In [ ... ] |
| Nigerian Sworn In As Councillor For Second Term Of Office In Belgium 08/01/2013 | Tonia Timothy  The Nigerian-born Collins Nweke, was sworn in yesterday (02/01/2013) in the Ostend City Council of Belgium for a second term of office as Honourable Councillor.
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| Senate Rules Out Voting For Nigerians In Diaspora In 2015 Elections 25/12/2012 | Administrator  The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Electoral Matters, Sen. Andy Uba, in Abuja on Wednesday ruled out the much agitated voting of Nigerians in Diaspora. |
| Maku Tasks Nigerians In Diaspora On Partnership For National Development 25/12/2012 | News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)  The Minister of Information, Mr Labaran Maku, on Friday in London called on Nigerians in Diaspora to partner with the government on national development initiatives. |
| 2015: PDP, CPC support diaspora voting 25/12/2012 | Leke Baiyewu  The ruling Peoples Democratic Party, the Action Congress of Nigeria, and the Congress for Progressive Change have thrown their weight behind the proposal for Nigerians in the diaspora to vote during [ ... ] |
| INEC seeks greater powers, Diaspora vote 04/12/2012 | Friday Olokor  The Independent National Electoral Commission has asked the Federal Government for greater autonomy as well as allowing Nigerians in the Diaspora to vote in future elections in the country. [ ... ] |
| Nigerians in Diaspora Collect Signatures to Support Voting Right 26/09/2012 | Leadership  Nigerians living abroad have began the collection of one million signatures for "Nigerian Diaspora Voting Rights Petition" to demand for the right to vote and to be voted for in future elections [ ... ] |
| Obama Declares Nigeria As World's Next Major Economic Giant 27/08/2012 | ABIODUN OLUWAROTIMI  The President of the United States of America, Senator Barrack Obama has declared Nigeria as the world's next economic success story, stressing that the discovery was one of the major reasons why [ ... ] |
| $300,000 capital base: Ghana soft-pedals 28/07/2012 | John Alechenu  There are strong indications that Ghanaian authorities have soft-pedalled on the demand that businesses outfits produce $300,000 as capital before operating in Ghana.
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| Nigeria not ripe for Diaspora voting, says Senate 21/07/2012 | Sanni Onogu - Nation  Chairman of the Senate Committee on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Andy Uba, yesterday said the hope of Nigerians abroad participating in elections in Nigeria would have to [ ... ] |
| Nigeria: 6,000 Citizens in Foreign Jails Over Drug Offences 30/06/2012 | Vanguard  Abuja — Director-General, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Mr Femi Ajayi, weekend, said over 6,000 Nigerians were serving various jail terms across the globe for drug related offen [ ... ] |
| Nigeria Threatens To Break Diplomatic Ties With Ghana 30/06/2012 | Peace FM Online  The House of Representatives, weekend, called for the intervention of Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, parliament to prevent deportation of Nigerian businessmen from Ghana. [ ... ] |
| Jonathan charges 93 new ambassadors to protect Nigeria’s interest 19/06/2012 | Administrator  President Goodluck Jonathan has handed out letters of credence to the newly appointed 93 ambassadors, charging them to protect Nigeria’s interest.
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| Nigeria needs a diaspora commission, says Dabiri-Erewa 26/05/2012 | World Stage News  Johannesburg, South Africa-- Nigeria has been advised to establish a Diaspora Commission that would deal with diaspora matters. Chairman, House Committee on Diaspora, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, [ ... ] |
| Senate backs death sentence for 16 Nigerians in Indonesia 19/05/2012 | Punch  The Senate on Tuesday distanced itself from calls to intervene in the plight of 16 Nigerians facing death penalty for drug trafficking in Indonesia, saying they must face the full brunt of the l [ ... ] |