The Turkish government on Tuesday proposed an agreement in the area of migration with Nigeria.
Hünkar Burkan İbin, the Head of the Deportation Department within the Turkish Presidency of Migration Management, made the proposal when a delegation of the Turkish government visited the Federal Commissioner of the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI). Tijjani Aliyu Ahmed, in his office on Tuesday.
He said, “There are two approaches to migration – as a security issue and keeping it outside of your own border and just considering it as an external problem. The second approach is looking at migration from a human perspective, with dignity, with understanding that it is a part of our culture and a part of our humanity.
“Looking at the migration from this perspective, not only in migration but also in cultural and other aspects of relations, we focus on a friendly approach to this and try to have a sustainable intervention.
“Nigeria is a very important country. Even before coming, we wanted to be here from our hearts. So, we proposed an agreement on these standard operational procedures.
“Based on these approaches, we presented a memorandum of understanding based on the Standard Operating Procedures to Nigeria. It does not only include the workflow. Also, the bilateral relationship, but also the educational aspect,” he said.
He said his country had faced a lot of migration problems in the last ten years, adding that it had gained a lot of experience which it is willing to share with Nigeria.
“With this approach, we will be glad that we will be taking the Nigeria-Turkey brotherly relationship to the next level. If you allow us, we would like to present our plans for the future, some details of some important details of proposed MOU with you.
Speaking with journalists after the opening ceremony of the meeting, NCFRMI Federal Commissioner, Ahmed, said Nigeria is open to collaborate with other countries in the area of migration.
He said the Turkish team was in the Commission, “to learn how we are handling the affairs of refugees, how we are also handling the affairs of returnees and also for us in Nigeria to learn from the Turkish government how they too are handling their own refugees and their returnees”.
When asked what the proposed agreement will entail, he said, “That is why we are going into technical session now, so that we clarify to ourselves. They will tell us exactly the nitty-gritty.”