L'avocate
des droits de l'homme Femi Falana SAN a envoyé une lettre ouverte au
président
Mohammadu Buhari lui demandant de "ramener les Nigérians naturalisés, les réfugiés et les demandeurs d'asile qui ont été illégalement arrêtés, détenus et expulsés du Cameroun le vendredi 26 janvier 2018 par le Dans sa lettre ouverte aujourd'hui, Falana a déclaré: "Nous écrivons cette lettre de protestation au nom de nos clients dont le nom et le statut figurent sur la liste des déportés attachée à cette lettre. lettre."
Mohammadu Buhari lui demandant de "ramener les Nigérians naturalisés, les réfugiés et les demandeurs d'asile qui ont été illégalement arrêtés, détenus et expulsés du Cameroun le vendredi 26 janvier 2018 par le Dans sa lettre ouverte aujourd'hui, Falana a déclaré: "Nous écrivons cette lettre de protestation au nom de nos clients dont le nom et le statut figurent sur la liste des déportés attachée à cette lettre. lettre."
Selon Falana, "Nos clients ne sont pas des immigrants illégaux au Nigeria. Trois d'entre eux sont des citoyens nigérians naturalisés alors que d'autres sont des réfugiés reconnus et des demandeurs d'asile politiques au Nigeria. "La lettre disait en partie:" Douze de nos clients sont les leaders du peuple du Sud Cameroun et vivent au Nigeria depuis plusieurs années. Des années ont été réunies pour une réunion à l'hôtel Nera, Abuja, le samedi 6 janvier 2018 pour discuter des défis auxquels sont confrontés plus de 10 000 Camerounais qui ont demandé l'asile politique au Nigeria suite aux persécutions et répressions sous le régime Paul Biya au Cameroun. Mais avant le début de la réunion, une équipe de membres du personnel de sécurité armés a envahi le site, enlevé nos clients et les a emmenés dans un lieu inconnu. Cet enlèvement a été rapporté par l'édition de Premium Times du dimanche 7 janvier 2018. "" Malgré le rapport détaillé du média d'information crédible en ligne, la police et les agences de sécurité ont nié avoir connaissance de l'enlèvement de nos clients. Par conséquent, tous les efforts déployés par les avocats, les médecins et les membres de la famille de nos clients pour leur rendre visite en détention ont été frustrés sans aucune justification légale. Même Mme Nalowa Bih qui est enceinte a été refusée par le conseiller à la sécurité nationale. "" Cependant, un représentant du bureau du commissaire des Nations Unies pour les réfugiés au Nigeria a été autorisé à rendre visite à nos clients à la demande du ministère des Affaires étrangères. Affaires. Au cours de la visite, le représentant des Nations Unies a constaté que nos clients étaient détenus dans une cellule souterraine au siège de la Defense Intelligence Agency sur ordre du conseiller à la sécurité nationale. "" En raison du refus du conseiller à la sécurité nationale d'autoriser l'accès à nos clients par leurs avocats, parents et médecins, nous avons déposé une demande à la section judiciaire d'Abuja de la Haute Cour fédérale le jeudi 25 janvier 2018 afin de garantir leurs droits fondamentaux à la liberté personnelle et à la liberté de mouvement. "" Nonobstant En attendant le procès et l'intervention du Commissariat des Nations Unies pour les réfugiés, le conseiller à la sécurité nationale a expulsé nos clients du Nigeria et les a expulsés au Cameroun le vendredi 26 janvier 2018. "" Bien que le conseiller à la sécurité nationale ait eu honte la déportation de nos clients du Nigeria le gouvernement du Cameroun a célébré la déportation et menacé de poursuivre nos clients pour des crimes non spécifiés. Ainsi, avec la complicité du conseiller à la sécurité nationale, le gouvernement du Cameroun a tenu nos clients dans une garde militaire non divulguée au Cameroun. "" Sur les 52 personnes expulsées du Nigeria, le gouvernement du Cameroun a maintenu que le conseiller à la sécurité nationale lui a remis 47 déportés. Jusqu'à présent, le conseiller à la sécurité nationale n'a pas expliqué où se trouvaient les 5 détenus restants! "" Le conseiller à la sécurité nationale savait que deux de nos clients sont des Nigérians naturalisés, six sont des réfugiés et 37 autres sont des demandeurs d'asile politiques. être protégé par le gouvernement fédéral du Nigeria. Pour éviter toute ambiguïté, le Bureau du Commissaire des Nations Unies pour les réfugiés au Nigéria a attiré l'attention du conseiller à la sécurité nationale sur les obligations légales du Nigéria de respecter les droits de nos clients. Les lois de la Fédération du Nigéria de 2004 et de l'Immigration Act de 2015 n'autorisent pas le conseiller à la sécurité nationale à arrêter, détenir et expulser tout étranger ou immigrant du Nigeria vers un autre pays. "" Le gouvernement du Nigeria n'a jamais violé les dispositions de la Convention des Nations Unies relative aux réfugiés et de la Convention de l'OUA sur les réfugiés en expulsant les réfugiés et les demandeurs d'asile vers tout pays où ils pourraient être persécutés, nous sommes obligés d'exhorter Votre Excellence à faire droit aux demandes suivantes: 5 déportés et ramener au Nigeria nos clients qui ont été illégalement expulsés vers le Cameroun sans plus tarder. "" Si le National Security Adviser est incapable de ramener nos clients au Nigeria, il devrait être démis de ses fonctions pour cette impunité éhontée qui a exposé le Nigeria à se moquer de la courtoisie des nations respectueuses de la loi.
Le gouvernement fédéral devrait persuader le gouvernement camerounais de ne pas persécuter nos clients pour empêcher les Nations Unies de sanctionner le Nigeria pour violation des dispositions de la Convention des Nations Unies de 1951 relative aux réfugiés. "" Vous serez donc d'accord avec nous que l'arrestation, la détention et la déportation de nos clients du Nigéria au Cameroun par le conseiller de sécurité nationale ne peut pas être justifié pour les raisons suivantes: Basé sur l'appel du Nigéria pour un règlement pacifique de la crise politique au Cameroun, le peuple du Cameroun du Sud a intenté un procès à déterminer si le peuple du Cameroun méridional n'a pas le droit à l'autodétermination sur son territoire clairement délimité et séparé de la République du Cameroun. "" Par un jugement de consentement rendu par la Cour le 5 mars 2002, le gouvernement fédéral a été invité à déposer poursuite devant la Cour internationale de Justice pour obtenir une confirmation judiciaire du droit de l'homme de la population du Sud Cameroun à l'autodétermination. "Le gouvernement fédéral s'est également engagé à prendre d'autres mesures, le cas échéant, pour soumettre le cas du peuple du Sud Cameroun à l'autodétermination devant l'Assemblée générale des Nations Unies et »« Même si le procès n'a pas été intenté devant la Cour internationale de Justice, le gouvernement fédéral a continué à reconnaître les droits de l'homme de nos clients et des autres populations du Sud Cameroun à l'autodétermination.
(Texte traduit, ci-dessous le article original en anglais)
Falana asks
Buhari to bring back naturalized Nigerians, refugees and asylum seekers
deported to Cameroon
Human rights
lawyer, Femi Falana SAN has sent an open letter to President Mohammadu Buhari
asking him to “bring back to naturalized Nigerians, Refugees and Asylum Seekers
who were illegally arrested, detained and deported from to Cameroon on Friday,
January 26, 2018 by the National Security Adviser, Major-General Babagana
Monguno (rtd).” Falana and Buhari In the open letter today Falana said “We
write this protest letter on behalf of our clients whose names and status are
set out in the List of Deportees attached to this letter.”
According to
Falana, “Our clients are not illegal immigrants in Nigeria. Three of them are
naturalized Nigerian citizens while others are recognized refugees and
political asylum seekers in Nigeria.” The letter read in part: “Twelve of our
clients who are the leaders of the people of Southern Cameroon and who have
been living in Nigeria for several years were assembled for a meeting at Nera
Hotel, Abuja on Saturday, January 6, 2018 to discuss the challenges faced by
the over 10,000 Cameroonians who have sought political asylum in Nigeria due to
persecution and repression under the Paul Biya regime in Cameroon.” “But before
the commencement of the meeting a team of armed security personnel invaded the
venue, abducted our clients and took them away to an undisclosed place. The
said abduction was reported by the Premium Times edition of Sunday, January 7,
2018.” “In spite of the detailed report of the credible online news medium the
Police and the security agencies denied knowledge of the abduction of our
clients. Consequently, all efforts made by the lawyers, doctors and family
members of our clients to visit them in custody were frustrated without any
legal justification. Even Mrs. Nalowa Bih who is pregnant was denied medical
attention by the National Security Adviser.” “However, a representative of the
Office of the United Nations Commissioner for Refugees in Nigeria was allowed
to visit our clients at the request of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. During
the visit, the United Nations representative found that our clients were held
in an underground cell at the headquarters of the Defence Intelligence Agency
on the orders of the National Security Adviser.” “On account of the refusal of
the National Security Adviser to allow access to our clients by their lawyers,
relatives and doctors we filed an application at the Abuja Judicial Division of
the Federal High Court on Thursday, January 25, 2018 for the purpose of
securing their fundamental rights to personal liberty and freedom of movement.”
“Notwithstanding the pending suit and the intervention of the Office of the
United Nations Commissioner for Refugees, the National Security Adviser
expelled our clients from Nigeria and deported them to Cameroon on Friday,
January 26, 2018.” “Although the National Security Adviser was ashamed to
disclose the deportation of our clients from Nigeria the Government of Cameroon
has celebrated the deportation and threatened to prosecute our clients for
unspecified crimes. Thus, with the connivance of the National Security Adviser
the Government of Cameroon has since held our clients in an undisclosed
military custody in Cameroon.” “Out of the 52 people who were expelled from
Nigeria the Government of Cameroon has maintained that the National Security
Adviser handed over to it 47 deportees. Up till now, the National Security
Adviser has not accounted for the whereabouts of the remaining 5 detainees!”
“The National Security Adviser knew that two of our clients are naturalized
Nigerians, six are refugees while 37 others are political asylum seekers who
are entitled to be protected by the Federal Government of Nigeria. For the
avoidance of doubt, the Office of the United Nations Commissioner for Refugees
in Nigeria drew the attention of the National Security Adviser to the legal
obligations of Nigeria to respect the rights of our clients.” “Under the
National Security Agencies Act (Cap N74) Laws of the Federation of Nigeria,
2004 and the Immigration Act 2015 the National Security Adviser is not
competent to arrest, detain and deport any alien or immigrant from Nigeria to
any other country.” “Since the Government of Nigeria has never violated the
provisions of the United Nations Convention Relating to Refugees and the OAU
Convention on Refugees by deporting refugees and asylum seekers to any country
where they might be persecuted we are compelled to urge Your Excellency to grant
the following requests: Order the National Security Adviser to produce the
missing 5 deportees and bring back to Nigeria our clients who have been
illegally deported to Cameroon without any further delay.” “If the National
Security Adviser is unable to bring back our clients to Nigeria he should be
removed from office for such brazen impunity which has exposed Nigeria to
ridicule before the comity of law abiding nations.
The Federal
Government should prevail on the Government of Cameroon not to persecute our
clients to prevent the United Nations from sanctioning Nigeria for violating
the provisions of the 1951 United Nations Convention Relating to Refugees.”
“You will therefore agree with us that the arrest, detention and deportation of
our clients from Nigeria to Cameroon by the National Security Adviser cannot be
justified on the following grounds: Based on the appeal by Nigeria for a
peaceful resolution of the political crisis in Cameroon the people of Southern
Cameroon filed a suit at the Federal High Court to determine whether the people
of Southern Cameroon are not entitled to self-determination within their
clearly defined territory separate from La Republique Du Cameroun.” “By a
consent judgment delivered by the Court on March 5, 2002, the Federal
Government was directed to file a suit at the International Court of Justice to
have a judicial confirmation of the human right of the people of Southern
Cameroon to self determination. Attached herewith and marked annexure A is a
certified true copy of the judgment.” “The Federal Government also undertook to
take other measures as may be necessary to place the case of the people of
Southern Cameroon for self determination before the United Nations General
Assembly and other international organizations.” “Even though the suit has not
been filed at the International Court of Justice the Federal Government has
continued to recognize the human rights of our clients and other people of
Southern Cameroon to self determination.”
Source:vanguardngr.com/2018/02/falana-asks-buhari-bring-back-naturalized-nigerians-refugees-asylum-seekers-deported-cameroon/
Source:vanguardngr.com/2018/02/falana-asks-buhari-bring-back-naturalized-nigerians-refugees-asylum-seekers-deported-cameroon/
Falana asks Buhari to
bring back naturalized Nigerians, refugees and asylum seekers deported
to Cameroon
On February 4, 20183:11 pmIn NewsComments
Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana SAN has sent an open letter to
President Mohammadu Buhari asking him to “bring back to naturalized
Nigerians, Refugees and Asylum Seekers who were illegally arrested,
detained and deported from to Cameroon on Friday, January 26, 2018 by
the National Security Adviser, Major-General Babagana Monguno (rtd).”
Falana and Buhari
In the open letter today Falana said “We write this protest letter on
behalf of our clients whose names and status are set out in the List of
Deportees attached to this letter.”
According to Falana, “Our clients are not illegal immigrants in Nigeria.
Three of them are naturalized Nigerian citizens while others are
recognized refugees and political asylum seekers in Nigeria.”
The letter read in part: “Twelve of our clients who are the leaders of
the people of Southern Cameroon and who have been living in Nigeria for
several years were assembled for a meeting at Nera Hotel, Abuja on
Saturday, January 6, 2018 to discuss the challenges faced by the over
10,000 Cameroonians who have sought political asylum in Nigeria due to
persecution and repression under the Paul Biya regime in Cameroon.”
“But before the commencement of the meeting a team of armed security
personnel invaded the venue, abducted our clients and took them away to
an undisclosed place. The said abduction was reported by the Premium
Times edition of Sunday, January 7, 2018.”
“In spite of the detailed report of the credible online news medium the
Police and the security agencies denied knowledge of the abduction of
our clients. Consequently, all efforts made by the lawyers, doctors and
family members of our clients to visit them in custody were frustrated
without any legal justification. Even Mrs. Nalowa Bih who is pregnant
was denied medical attention by the National Security Adviser.”
“However, a representative of the Office of the United Nations
Commissioner for Refugees in Nigeria was allowed to visit our clients at
the request of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. During the visit, the
United Nations representative found that our clients were held in an
underground cell at the headquarters of the Defence Intelligence Agency
on the orders of the National Security Adviser.”
“On account of the refusal of the National Security Adviser to allow
access to our clients by their lawyers, relatives and doctors we filed
an application at the Abuja Judicial Division of the Federal High Court
on Thursday, January 25, 2018 for the purpose of securing their
fundamental rights to personal liberty and freedom of movement.”
“Notwithstanding the pending suit and the intervention of the Office of
the United Nations Commissioner for Refugees, the National Security
Adviser expelled our clients from Nigeria and deported them to Cameroon
on Friday, January 26, 2018.”
“Although the National Security Adviser was ashamed to disclose the
deportation of our clients from Nigeria the Government of Cameroon has
celebrated the deportation and threatened to prosecute our clients for
unspecified crimes. Thus, with the connivance of the National Security
Adviser the Government of Cameroon has since held our clients in an
undisclosed military custody in Cameroon.”
“Out of the 52 people who were expelled from Nigeria the Government of
Cameroon has maintained that the National Security Adviser handed over
to it 47 deportees. Up till now, the National Security Adviser has not
accounted for the whereabouts of the remaining 5 detainees!”
“The National Security Adviser knew that two of our clients are
naturalized Nigerians, six are refugees while 37 others are political
asylum seekers who are entitled to be protected by the Federal
Government of Nigeria. For the avoidance of doubt, the Office of the
United Nations Commissioner for Refugees in Nigeria drew the attention
of the National Security Adviser to the legal obligations of Nigeria to
respect the rights of our clients.”
“Under the National Security Agencies Act (Cap N74) Laws of the
Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and the Immigration Act 2015 the National
Security Adviser is not competent to arrest, detain and deport any alien
or immigrant from Nigeria to any other country.”
“Since the Government of Nigeria has never violated the provisions of
the United Nations Convention Relating to Refugees and the OAU
Convention on Refugees by deporting refugees and asylum seekers to any
country where they might be persecuted we are compelled to urge Your
Excellency to grant the following requests: Order the National Security
Adviser to produce the missing 5 deportees and bring back to Nigeria our
clients who have been illegally deported to Cameroon without any
further delay.”
“If the National Security Adviser is unable to bring back our clients to
Nigeria he should be removed from office for such brazen impunity which
has exposed Nigeria to ridicule before the comity of law abiding
nations. The Federal Government should prevail on the Government of
Cameroon not to persecute our clients to prevent the United Nations from
sanctioning Nigeria for violating the provisions of the 1951 United
Nations Convention Relating to Refugees.”
“You will therefore agree with us that the arrest, detention and
deportation of our clients from Nigeria to Cameroon by the National
Security Adviser cannot be justified on the following grounds: Based on
the appeal by Nigeria for a peaceful resolution of the political crisis
in Cameroon the people of Southern Cameroon filed a suit at the Federal
High Court to determine whether the people of Southern Cameroon are not
entitled to self-determination within their clearly defined territory
separate from La Republique Du Cameroun.”
“By a consent judgment delivered by the Court on March 5, 2002, the
Federal Government was directed to file a suit at the International
Court of Justice to have a judicial confirmation of the human right of
the people of Southern Cameroon to self determination. Attached herewith
and marked annexure A is a certified true copy of the judgment.”
“The Federal Government also undertook to take other measures as may be
necessary to place the case of the people of Southern Cameroon for self
determination before the United Nations General Assembly and other
international organizations.”
“Even though the suit has not been filed at the International Court of
Justice the Federal Government has continued to recognize the human
rights of our clients and other people of Southern Cameroon to self
determination.”
Read more at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/02/falana-asks-buhari-bring-back-naturalized-nigerians-refugees-asylum-seekers-deported-cameroon/
Read more at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/02/falana-asks-buhari-bring-back-naturalized-nigerians-refugees-asylum-seekers-deported-cameroon/
