Senate President Godswill Akpabio has appealed to the German government to reconsider its decision to deport 12,000 illegal migrants of Nigerian origin, stating that such an action could exacerbate the current security challenges facing Nigeria.
In a meeting with the German Ambassador to Nigeria, Annette Gunther, Akpabio noted that Nigeria is grappling with insecurity and urged Germany to collaborate with Nigeria on security and power initiatives to foster socio-political development.
Akpabio, expressing concern over the potential fallout from the deportations, pleaded with Gunther to intervene in preventing the mass deportation, stating that it could contribute to an escalation of insecurity within the country.
"We also have a problem of infiltration from other countries. We require assistance from Germany in the area of security because when we had the Boko Haram issues in the North East, it might not have escalated to the level it did if we had the support of major players like Germany and others," Akpabio explained.
He further highlighted the challenges posed by the political situations in Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso, which, he claimed, has led many individuals in Germany to falsely claim Nigerian nationality to avoid returning to crisis-prone nations.
"Dumping 12,000 illegal immigrants in Nigeria would lead to the escalation of insecurity in the country. There is, therefore, the need for your country to allow our immigration officers to assess who exactly is a Nigerian amongst them," Akpabio added.
Responding to the concerns, Ambassador Gunther acknowledged the economic significance of both Nigeria and Germany and explained the need for collaboration between the two nations.
"We are honored to be here today. Nigeria and Germany, being the largest economies and populations in their respective continents, need to come together in their peoples' interests. Nigeria is Germany’s second-largest trading partner in sub-Saharan Africa," Gunther stated.