More than a thousand Nigerian migrants who were begging in the streets of Dakar were repatriated last week to their country, the government announced, as it intends to repatriate all Nigerians begging abroad.
More than a thousand Nigerian migrants who were begging in the streets of Dakar were repatriated last week to their country, announced the government, which intends to repatriate all Nigerians begging abroad.
On March 25 and 26, two flights chartered by the Nigerien government brought back from Dakar 478 children, 413 women and 162 men, all nationals of “Kantché and Magaria”, two departments of the Zinder region (center-east), close to Nigeria, said a government statement.
These repatriations were decided after a television report in Senegal revealed the situation of migrants in the Senegalese capital where they were living in precarious shelters in the streets or in underground passages.
“Faced with the growing phenomenon of begging that degrades the image of our country (…) and mortgages the future of innocent children, the government has decided to take strong measures to put an end to it,” the statement said.
It will “prosecute before the competent courts” all “those who maintain this criminal network” and “other operations to repatriate Nigeriens “who practice begging abroad” will be launched, it adds.
In the region of Zinder, local authorities have opened “an investigation” in order to dismantle “the networks” that transport beggars abroad.