FACTS ABOUT THE ASYLUM-SEEKERS SPOTTED IN LAGOS.

In the light of the recent publications across various blogs and social media, regarding the influx of Togolese Asylum-seekers into Nigeria and at the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons(NCFRMI); it is imperative that the general public fully understands what seems to be the situation on ground.
Some reports erroneously referred to these personsas Refugees, they are in fact, not Refugees, but they are Asylum-Seekers. The difference being that Asylum-Seekers are persons who are seeking to be granted the status of Refugee by a host country, while legally-speaking, Refugees are persons who have been granted such a status.


These Togolese Asylum-seekers in question were originally in the Republic of Benin, where they had fled to during the political crisis which engulfed the Republic of Togo in 2005. Having been in the Agame refugee camp in Benin Republic for the past ten (10) years, the government of Benin upon realizing that things have returned to apparent normalcy in Togo asked the Refugees to either be reintegrated into the Beninoise society as the camp needed to be shut down or return to their country of origin(Togo), but they refused either of the options and have found their way into Nigeria.


As is the international practice, when these Asylum-seekers got to the NCFRMI office, they were duly registered by the Commission and given Attestation documents, these documents enable them to move about freely in the country, pending when their Refugee Status would be determined. It is also noteworthy that the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), which is a UN Agency who works directly with the NCFRMI on Refugee issues, actually offered each of the Asylum-seekers some funds in order to enable them either return to Togo or find somewhere to stay pending their status determination, but some of them turned down the monies and instead preferred to camp out in front of the Office along, Awolowo Road, Ikoyi.



So it is important to note that anyone (individual, religiousorganization or NGO) seeking to provide help and/or shelter to these individuals should embrace caution, especially with the current security situation in the country and the West African sub-region at large.