90% Of Nigerians In Switzerland Returned Home Voluntarily

The Switzerland Embassy in Nigeria has
said that 90 per cent of Nigerian illegal
immigrants in Switzerland voluntarily
returned to Nigeria this year.
It said they returned under the Swiss
Assisted Voluntary Return and
Reintegration Programme, which is
partnership with the Federal
Government.
The 19 edition of the Swiss Gazette
obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria
(NAN) in Abuja stated that the retunnes
were paid N961,000 each.
It also stated that in 2011, 80 per cent of
such illegal immigrants benefited from
the programme, while in 2010, a total of
1,969 Nigerian citizens asked for asylum
in that country accounting for 13 per cent
of all requests.
The document also stated that under its
Legal Defence Assistance Project, the
Embassy carried out a programme tagged:
“Improving handling of domestic
violence’’ in six police stations in Lagos
State.
It stated that nearly 300 police officers
were trained on the correct handling of
cases of domestic violence.
“More than 10,000 memory cards with
guidelines on how to report, record, file,
and handle cases of domestic violence
were printed and distributed to police
officers.” the document further stated
that 3,000 domestic violence tool kits/
manuals were designed and printed.
According to the gazette, the aim of the
project was to increase awareness on
domestic violence and gender rights
issues among police officers, as well as
increase cases of domestic violence being
recorded and filed, so as to provide
redress for the victims.
The embassy also supported a
Community Research and Development
Centre in Benin City in Edo to promote
Environmental Sustainability through the
use of central solar charging stations as
clean energy source for lighting.
“The Swiss Government grant enabled
the centre to construct a solar power
(solar panels) based charging station and
to provide 40 households with Solar
Home Lighting Kits,” it stated.
Other cooperation projecta include
training of 180 inmates in seven prisons
across the country, including the FCT.
The documented added that 24 of the
inmates volunteered to attend an
additional “on-campus style” course in
Abuja after their release.
It also stated that since 2010, the Swiss
Government had been supporting
ECOWAS’ efforts to develop the Civilian
Component of its Standby Force (ESF).
Others included Seminar on Counter
Financing of Terrorism for 15 ECOWAS
member states, particularly the fight
against money laundering and the
financing of terrorism in conformity
with international law.