Metro

Canada’s granted asylum to 1,467 Nigerians in one year— Report

Published

4 months ago

August 25, 2024

A fresh report from the Canadian Immigration and Refugee Board has revealed that at least 1,467 Nigerians were granted asylum by the country in one year, from January 2023 to March 2024.

The report, which was released on Saturday, indicated that the applicants who applied under the refugee protection programme brought the total number of accepted asylum claims filed by Nigerians to 11,370 from 2012 to Q1 2024, as shown by data from the Refugee Protection Division of the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada.

It stated that the Board grants refugee protection in Canada if the Division satisfactorily confirms that an applicant or claimant meets the United Nations definition of a Convention refugee, “which has been incorporated into Canadian law, or that the applicant is a person in need of protection.”

‘The 1951 UN Convention on the Status of Refugees defines refugees as persons with a substantiated fear of persecution because of their race, nationality, religion, political ideology, or membership in a particular social group,” the report said.

“Such social groups can include sexual orientation, gender identity, being a woman, and persons living with HIV/AIDS. However, persons seeking protection in Canada must show evidence portending the danger of torture, a risk to their life or risk of cruel and unusual treatment or punishment should they return to their country of nationality.

“Typically, these protection claims are made when immigrants notify the Border Services Agency at any port of entry upon arriving in Canada or report to an immigration officer.

“The officer decides whether the claim is eligible to be referred to the IRB. If the claim is eligible, it is sent (‘referred’) to the RPD to start the claim for refugee protection process,” an application guideline by the Refugee Board reads.

“From January 2023 to March 2024, the IRB rejected 589 applications from persons with Nigerian passports, bringing the total number of rejections since January 2013 to over 12,600.

“The breakdown showed that 20, 308, 394, and 389 Nigerians were granted asylum in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively.

“389, 764, 755, and 1,733 Nigerians received the green light in 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019, respectively. In 2020, 2021, and 2022, 1,534, 2,302, and 1,315 persons were granted protection, respectively. 1086 and 381 Nigerians were accepted for protection in 2023 and Q1 of 2024,” it added.

In an interview with Saturday PUNCH, the Executive Director of the Women Trafficking and Child Labour Eradication Foundation, Imaobong Ladipo-Sanusi, described the acceptance rate as fair, saying irregular migration was often the leading cause of rejection.New report says Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Board granted asylum to 1,467 Nigerians in one year

A fresh report from the Canadian Immigration and Refugee Board has revealed that at least 1,467 Nigerians were granted asylum by the country in one year from January 2023 to March 2024.

The report which was released on Saturday, indicated that the applicants who applied under the refugee protection brings the total number of accepted asylum claims filed by Nigerians to 11,370 from 2012 to Q1 2024, as shown by data from the Refugee Protection Division of the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada.

“Typically, these protection claims are made when immigrants notify the Border Services Agency at any port of entry upon arriving in Canada or report to an immigration officer.

“From January 2023 to March 2024, the IRB rejected 589 applications from persons with Nigerian passports, bringing the total number of rejections since January 2013 to over 12,600.

“The breakdown showed that 20, 308, 394, and 389 Nigerians were granted asylum in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively.

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Metro

Zambia: Expert warns of food security threat due to climate change

Published

20 minutes ago

December 22, 2024

Isaac Dachen

A prominent Zambian climate-smart agriculture expert, Oliver Bulaya, has warned of a collapse of the county’s agricultural sector with a potential threat to food security due to the worsening impact of climate change.

Bulaya, who bared his mind in an interview with Zambia Monitor on Friday, warned that ignoring the crisis could lead to severe disruptions in the country’s food supply and economy.

“Unless concerted efforts are made, the country will continue facing dire consequences from climate change,” the expert noted.

He lamented a growing trend of farmers relocating to regions experiencing above-normal rainfall, such as the northern block, as they struggle with losses caused by climate variability.

Bulaya emphasized that the once-reliable rainfall areas like North-Western Zambia are now experiencing lower precipitation, as seen during the 2023/2024 farming season and cautioned that poor farming practices, which had already strained the Southern region, could lead to similar challenges in other parts of the country if proactive measures were not implemented.

Metro

Outrage over murder of Nigerian beaten to death by South Africans inside estate security office

Published

5 hours ago

December 22, 2024

Isaac Dachen

The Nigerian community, under the auspices of Nigerian Citizens Association in South Africa (NICASA), has raised the alarm over the murder of a 37-year-old Nigerian, Julius Chukwunta, who was beaten to death by four South Africans inside an estate.

According to the association, Chukwunta, a native of Aninri Local Government Area in Enugu State, was reportedly attacked on Saturday, December 7, while driving to his residence in Midrand Protea Estate.

In a statement issued on Saturday by the President-General of NICASA, Dr Frank Onyekwelu, Chukwunta was blocked by the four men while approaching his residence.

Onyekwelu stated that information available to the association noted that after attempting to pass through, Chukwunta was met with resistance by the assailants, prompting him to seek help at the security office of the estate.

“At that moment, the four men allegedly attacked him, leaving him severely injured with a head wound,” the PG said.

“His female companion, who was sitting in the car, rushed to the security office and discovered him bleeding on the ground.

“In spite of attempts to call for help, the security office and residents did not assist in calling the police or an ambulance.

“After an hour, Chukwunta’s partner contacted her father, who, along with other family members, took him to Tembisa General Hospital.

“Chukwunta was placed on life support but later succumbed to his injuries and died at the Tembisa General Hospital on December 10, 2024.”

Onyekwelu also confirmed that the case was reported to the police by Chukwunta’s partner at the Midrand Police Station and was registered under file number 262/12/2024.

The NICASA President said the four suspects, aged 20, 24, 27, and 28, were arrested, and the case was presented in Alexandra Magistrate Court on December 13, 2024, where they were charged with murder.

“The court proceedings on December 18, 2024, saw three of the suspects granted bail of R10,000 each, while the fourth had not yet applied for bail. The case was adjourned to February 3, 2025.”

Onyekwelu however, expressed disappointment at the proceedings, wondering why three of the suspects were released on bail and vowed that the Nigerian community would continue to demand justice for Chukwunta and support his family.

He emphasised that the community would not rest until justice was served and the value of Nigerian lives was upheld in South Africa.