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Sierra Leone Government “abandons” citizens in Niger!

  •  Buses line up to repatriate Guineans from the desert of Niger as Sierra Leoneans look on .jpg

By Umaru Fofana

One hundred and thirty six (136) Sierra Leoneans who were thrown out of Algeria and Libya after their failed bid to cross the Mediterranean to Europe are still stranded on the deserts of Niger. They say they feel abandoned by their government.

Speaking to Politico via WhatsApp from the desert town of Agadez, the men were crying, saying they felt let down by their country. They have been stranded there for almost four months. They were among nationals from 22 countries across Africa many of whose governments have taken them back.

Their leader, Albert Conteh said they were living under appalling conditions despite “the great efforts being made by the International Office for Migration (IOM) in Niger”. He said food and shelter were of a major concern. This, he said, was made worse by the harsh weather conditions with soaring temperature and sandstorms.

Another stranded Sierra Leonean, Osman Koroma said almost all other nationals had been repatriated after their governments intervened. He said Malians, Guinean, Burkinabes, among others, had left; with Cameroonians and Nigerians the latest being prepared for repatriation.

“Once they leave, we will be the only ones left here”, he said in an emotional tone sometimes in-between sobs.

An IOM spokesperson in Niger, Monica Chiriac told Politico that they were preparing similar repatriation for Sierra Leoneans but that it would have to be at the request or approval of the Government in Freetown.

“As soon as we have the approval from the government, we can start organizing their departure. The migrants now in Agadez will have to travel down to Niamey and from there we will prepare their travels to Sierra Leone. We have already sent a note verbal to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sierra Leone and are now waiting for news”, Chiriac told Politico.

The IOM office in Freetown also says that they are ready and have been for weeks to transport the Sierra Leoneans back home. “All we need is a clearance by the government of Sierra Leone to bring them back, and IOM will bear all the cost”, says Mangeh Sesay who is the IOM National Project Officer in Sierra Leone and the focal person for the repatriation.

He said they had held talks with the ministry of foreign affairs who’d promised to get back to them, and that they were waiting to hear from them.

For two weeks now, Politico has tried to get the ministry of foreign affairs to talk on the matter. But telephone calls and SMSes to the minister have not been responded to.

The Sierra Leoneans went through tortuous journeys to North Africa from where they were brought back to Assamaka in northern Niger where they were rescued by IOM.

Funds are drying up for IOM’s operations in Niger, according to their spokesperson in Niamey, and the migrants face a serious risk if their repatriation is delayed.

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