Over 20 Nigerians die yearly in The Gambia — President Nigerian Community
December 9, 2015
Written by:
Wale Ojo Lanre, Who Was In The Gambia
Over 20 Nigerians who domiciled in The Gambia always die every year in their efforts at obtaining the Nigerian national passport.
The President, Nigerian Community in The Gambia, Asiwaju Bashorun Ojikutu made this revelation during an interview with Tribune Tourism Magazine (TTM), at the Sunset Beach Hotel, Kotu Serekunda, The Gambia
Asiwaju Ojikutu who lamented that ‘It is sad and tragic that we have to weep and gnash our teeth every year over the deaths of our members who always meet their untimely deaths through road accidents and other means on their way to Dakar to obtain passport because there is no passport printing machine in The Gambia”.
He pointed out “although we have a functional and responsive Embassy here in The Gambia with responsible and dutiful officials, but it is regrettable that this Embassy has no machine for the issuance of national passport which then necessitates our members travelling all the way from The Gambia to Dakar”.
Asiwaju Ojikutu revealed that , “The Nigerian Embassy here seems to be helpless as the only machine available to print the passport for the two countries is located at the Nigerian Embassy in Dakar. We have to travel over 160 kilometres barring all the attenuating circumstances and risks”.
Asiwaju Ojikutu disclosed that “We have made several representations to the Embassy and sometimes we have written letters to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the need to make available the equipment needed for the issuance of passport here in The Gambia so as to minimize the loss of lives, but all our efforts have been futile.’
He called on President Muhammed Buhari to help in this direction by ordering the allocation of passport printing machine to the Embassy in The Gambia.
“Nigerian population in The Gambia is about 5600. In each year,we always record nothing less than 20 deaths of strong, virile, responsible and patriotic Nigerians just because they are seeking to have their country’s international identity which is passport. We believe that President Buhari will save us here the pang and pains of losing our members yearly. This death is preventable and stoppable. A passport printing machine is what is needed here to safe over 20 lives”.
Asiwaju Ojikutu believes that “We have absolute confidence that President Buhari will come to our aid. We know he cares for the life of a single Nigerian, and we are sure an end has come to the serial deaths of our members”
He disclosed “Most Nigerians here are law abiding and we have hidden our ethnic jingoism in Nigeria . Here in The Gambia, a Nigerian is a Nigerian, discrimination don’t normally surface . Here we see ourselves as one”
Asiwaju Ojikutu revealed “Most Nigerians here are law abiding. You see, The Gambia is just about 1.9 million population. It has a very good and efficient security system which makes it easy for quick identification and investigation whenever a crime is committed. Most crimes ascribed to Nigeria are not perpetuated by Nigerians who domicile in The Gambia, but majorly by those who use this place as a transit route to Europe”.
He commended President Yahya Jammeh for being friendly with Nigerians
“We must commend the president and the people of The Gambia for their friendly posture towards Nigerians. They have been good hosts.
Asiwaju Ojikutu who lamented that ‘It is sad and tragic that we have to weep and gnash our teeth every year over the deaths of our members who always meet their untimely deaths through road accidents and other means on their way to Dakar to obtain passport because there is no passport printing machine in The Gambia”.
He pointed out “although we have a functional and responsive Embassy here in The Gambia with responsible and dutiful officials, but it is regrettable that this Embassy has no machine for the issuance of national passport which then necessitates our members travelling all the way from The Gambia to Dakar”.
Asiwaju Ojikutu revealed that , “The Nigerian Embassy here seems to be helpless as the only machine available to print the passport for the two countries is located at the Nigerian Embassy in Dakar. We have to travel over 160 kilometres barring all the attenuating circumstances and risks”.
Asiwaju Ojikutu disclosed that “We have made several representations to the Embassy and sometimes we have written letters to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the need to make available the equipment needed for the issuance of passport here in The Gambia so as to minimize the loss of lives, but all our efforts have been futile.’
He called on President Muhammed Buhari to help in this direction by ordering the allocation of passport printing machine to the Embassy in The Gambia.
“Nigerian population in The Gambia is about 5600. In each year,we always record nothing less than 20 deaths of strong, virile, responsible and patriotic Nigerians just because they are seeking to have their country’s international identity which is passport. We believe that President Buhari will save us here the pang and pains of losing our members yearly. This death is preventable and stoppable. A passport printing machine is what is needed here to safe over 20 lives”.
Asiwaju Ojikutu believes that “We have absolute confidence that President Buhari will come to our aid. We know he cares for the life of a single Nigerian, and we are sure an end has come to the serial deaths of our members”
He disclosed “Most Nigerians here are law abiding and we have hidden our ethnic jingoism in Nigeria . Here in The Gambia, a Nigerian is a Nigerian, discrimination don’t normally surface . Here we see ourselves as one”
Asiwaju Ojikutu revealed “Most Nigerians here are law abiding. You see, The Gambia is just about 1.9 million population. It has a very good and efficient security system which makes it easy for quick identification and investigation whenever a crime is committed. Most crimes ascribed to Nigeria are not perpetuated by Nigerians who domicile in The Gambia, but majorly by those who use this place as a transit route to Europe”.
He commended President Yahya Jammeh for being friendly with Nigerians
“We must commend the president and the people of The Gambia for their friendly posture towards Nigerians. They have been good hosts.
