AFRICA HOUSE REJECTS THE ILL-TREATMENT OF ECOWAS CITIZENS AT CAPE VERDE - Africa House

Africa House....the trade bridge between Africa and the World.
Go to content

Main menu:

AFRICA HOUSE REJECTS THE ILL-TREATMENT OF ECOWAS CITIZENS AT CAPE VERDE

MEDIA > Press Release
AFRICA HOUSE REJECTS THE ILL-TREATMENT OF ECOWAS CITIZENS AT CAPE VERDE.
7th April, 2021.18:00pm (WAT)

We are  writing this letter to register the displeasure of the Africa House about the treatment of some African Citizens in the hands of the border police of the Cape Verde in the recent weeks and months at the Nelson Mandela International Airport in Santiago. These attacks seem to target specifically Citizens of Africa from West Africa (ECOWAS), Nigerians and anyone with Nigerian origin, regardless of the passports they carry.

 
 In the last week alone we have received three (3) complaints from 3 individuals who allege physical abuse, sexual harassment and deliberate acts of xenophobia by the Cape Verde border police upon arrival at the Nelson Mandela International Airport in Santiago . One of such complaints came from a lady of Nigerian origin based in the United Kingdom, another from expatriate from middle east living in Nigeria legitimately; and that of a dual Nigerian and America citizen who planned for a two-day sightseeing tour in Cape Verde. The border police officers of the Cape Verde have been accused of systemic racism and Xenophobic profiling of specific group of travelers, and all the victims have alleged that your officials have deliberately refused them entry into the country without giving any valid or official reasons for doing so. Let me remind you that Cape Verde is a member of the ECOWAS and is obliged to abide by the rules of free travel for citizens of the ECOWAS within the stipulated periods allowed under the law, provided the said travelers fulfil the necessary requirements. Turning passengers back arbitrarily without giving reasons constitute a breach of the ECOWAS rules, and we may be forced to approach the ECOWAS to table our complaints. While Cape Verde has the legal rights to protect its borders, it also bears the responsibility to treat all humans regardless of origin with dignity and according to the rules of the United Nations Charter of human rights.

 
We hereby request the government of Cape Verde to look into these allegations of abuse immediately, and bring the accused persons to book. I want to remind you that if we continue to receive allegations of harassment and unjustifiable xenophobic attacks on any citizen of Africa from the officials the Cape Verde international airports or border posts, we will have no choice but to advice governments across Africa and the general world to warn their citizens against travelling to Cape Verde ; and to reconsider all forms of trade cooperation with Cape Verde. The Africa House is able to provide assistance the government of Cape Verde in form of technical cooperation in order to curb international cross border crimes and in other areas; in order to ensure the safety of the great people of Cape Verde. The Africa House considers Africa and Africans as one giant family where the interests of all Africans must be protected at all costs regardless of where they live or travel to. We all know what happened to the victims of the Xenophobic attacks in places like South Africa, Rwanda; and the Africa House will never allow the seeds of hate to ever sprout on the continent of Africa again. As a result, we kindly request you to please imbibe the spirit of one Africa and brotherhood.
 

 
Sincerely
Olusegun Akanni
Africa House
www.africa-house.info
 
REFERENCES:

Travel | Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS):
https://www.ecowas.int/life-in-the-community/education-and-youth/

Sahara Reporters (Media):
How I Was Brutalised, Sexually Assaulted By Cape Verde Border Officials —Nigerian-American | Sahara Reporters
http://saharareporters.com/2021/04/07/how-i-was-brutalised-sexually-assaulted-cape-verde-border-officials-%E2%80%94nigerian-american
AFRICA | AMERICAS | MIDDLE EAST | CIS
enquiry@africa-house.info
Back to content | Back to main menu