By Linus Aleke, Abuja
The Belgian Embassy in Nigeria, on Friday, said that more and more Nigerians are now seeking asylum in Belgium, even when the socio-economic and political climate in the country does not support such a safety and survival move.
It also disclosed that Nigeria now tops the list of countries with the highest number of prostitutes in Belgium.
DG, Office for Foreigners, in Belgium, Mr. Freddy Rosemont, said this while briefing a diplomatic correspondent, at the Belgium embassy, in Abuja.
He said Belgium is not the land of milk and honey, nor is Europe, adding, “This was not the case before, but is even less so now, in a world with many crisis hotspots with severe economic consequences”.
According to him, “Before COVID, it was 56 asylum seekers from Nigeria in a year, but now it is almost 400 asylum seekers a year from Nigeria, it is a lot. For us, Nigeria is a safe country, it is not Afghanistan, it is not Syria, and it is not Palestine. These countries are volatile, but Nigeria is not”.
He said that migration is and will continue to be a topic that moves minds and it is constantly changing.
Migration, he said is a fact of life, stressing that “it is our job, the job of Europe and Belgium, as well as of Nigeria to manage this migration to happen regularly and safely within the legal framework”.
He said: “We have noticed that more and more Nigerians are seeking asylum in Belgium. Some have come to Belgium by legal means, others have taken way through the Mediterranean Sea. Once in Belgium, they apply for asylum, but this makes little sense. Asylum is determined based on the Geneva Convention and economic motives are not included. Therefore, the recognition rate for asylum is very low and the chances of obtaining a residence permit are almost non-existent”.
He concluded by appealing to Nigerians not to take on these dangers but to take time to see what is possible in their own country.
