Nigeria Monthly Protection Report for Abuja, Lagos, Ijebu Ode & Kano (October 2019)

General Protection

With support from UNHCR, 16 Refugees Appeal cases were filed by JDPC Lawyers. These cases will be presented in the next Appeal Board sitting.

There were a few reports of harassment of refugees by the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) in Lagos. Some refugees reported that the NIS is demanding that refugees go the NIS office to register their presence in Nigeria. The NCFRMI Head of Office in Lagos is currently engaging with the NIS Command in Lagos to ensure that this is done in line with global best practices, especially with NIS Regulations which requires all foreigners who intend to stay in the country beyond 90 days to register their presence with NIS.

Assessment/Verification

JDPC carried out verification exercise of persons of concern in primary and secondary schools in Ijebu-Ode and Lagos with a view to ensuring that refugee children are in school and that the education support stipends are used for the purpose for which they have been given.

Education

On 18 October, 5 refugees in Abuja and environs were interviewed for possible DAFI scholarship for tertiary education. Out of the 5 refugees, 4 are Congolese and one a Cameroonian. The outcome of the interview should be out in November.

On 24 October, UNHCR through JDPC and NCFRMI supported 18 refugee children in Abuja and environs with education support stipends. Out of the 18 refugee children assisted, 14 are Cameroonians, while the remaining 4 are Congolese. 13 are in Primary school, while 5 are in Secondary school. To benefit for next term support, the parents are expected to present prove of payment of current school expenses.

Livelihood Assistance

UNHCR together with JDPC and NCFRMI conducted livelihood interviews for 25 Persons of Concern in Lagos with the aim of providing them with startup cash to start their businesses. The outcome of the interview is expected to be released soon.

Following the outcome of previous livelihood interview and the approval of the interview committee, cash grant was disbursed to 9 Persons of Concern.

Counselling & Community Based Protection

As a follow up to the case of an 8-year-old female Cameroonian unaccompanied minor found lying on the ground in a forest at Kado Kuchi area of Abuja by a Cameroonian couple last month, NCFRMI received information about the return of the child’s mother. Both the Care-givers of the minor and the mother have been invited by NCFRMI for counselling and other necessary support. How do we know this is the real mother?

In the month of October, asylum seekers, mostly from Cameroon were registered regularly by NCFRMI in Lagos and Abuja. In Lagos, regular counseling sessions were held.
During the sessions, issues regarding documentation for bank account opening, letters of introduction for employment purposes, renewal of expired attestations were identified and promptly referred to concerned staff members for appropriate action.

Material Protection-Based Assistance

Following report of depletion of items at the NCFRMI store in Lagos last month, the store has been replenished with a few bags of bathroom slippers, salt and garri for the benefit of asylum seekers mainly from Cameroon. More food and nonfood items like insecticide-treated mosquito nets, cooking stoves, blankets, mats, cooking pots for the newly arrived asylum seekers is still expected from UNHCR.