The Directorate General, Immigration Office, Belgium, Mr Freddy Roosemont, has disclosed that about 30 percent of Nigerian Migrants seeking Asylum in the country hails from Edo state.
Mr Roosemont disclosed at an event organised by the Immigration Office of the Kingdom of Belgium in Collaboration with Pathfinder Justice Initiative (PJI), in Benin, Edo capital, on Wednesday.
He described the issue of Asylum seeking from Nigerians as worrisome.
“30 percent of Nigerian asylum seeker are from Edo, 20 percent from Lagos and the remaining 50 percent are from other states in Nigeria.
“In 2022, about 370 Nigerians sought for Asylum while in 2023, about 360 also requested Asylum.”
According to him, some of the asylum seekers came to Belgium by legal means while others came through the Mediterranean Sea.
He explained that the high rate of people from Edo involved in human trafficking when compared to other states in Nigeria and necessitated the awareness creation about safe migration in the state.
Roosemont said jobs market in Belgium were already saturated, advising Nigerians not to fall victims of human trafficking in the name of helping them get jobs in Belgium.
He said about 5,000 Nigerians were living legally in Belgium, saying they are in support of legal migration.
Earlier, the Executive Director, PJI, Ruth Benson-Idahisa, solicited support from Non Governmental Organisations in creating awareness about safe migration initiative.
(Daily Trust)