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Canada accepts 1,500 Nigerians seeking asylum in 15 months – Report
Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Board granted asylum to at least 1,467 Nigerians, who applied for refugee protection from January 2023 to March 2024.
This brings the total number of accepted asylum claims filed by Nigerians to 11,370 from 2012 to Q1 2024, as shown by data from the Refugee Protection Division of the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada.
The Board grants refugee protection in Canada if the Division satisfactorily confirms that an applicant or claimant meets the United Nations definition of a Convention refugee, “which has been incorporated into Canadian law, or that the applicant is a person in need of protection.”
The 1951 UN Convention on the Status of Refugees defines refugees as persons with a substantiated fear of persecution because of their race, nationality, religion, political ideology, or membership in a particular social group.
Such social groups can include sexual orientation, gender identity, being a woman, and persons living with HIV/AIDS.
However, persons seeking protection in Canada must show evidence portending the danger of torture, a risk to their life or risk of cruel and unusual treatment or punishment should they return to their country of nationality.
Typically, these protection claims are made when immigrants notify the Border Services Agency at any port of entry upon arriving in Canada or report to an immigration officer.
“The officer decides whether the claim is eligible to be referred to the IRB. If the claim is eligible, it is sent (‘referred’) to the RPD to start the claim for refugee protection process,” an application guideline by the Refugee Board reads.
However, from January 2023 to March 2024, the IRB rejected 589 applications from persons with Nigerian passports, bringing the total number of rejections since January 2013 to over 12,600.
The breakdown showed that 20, 308, 394, and 389 Nigerians were granted asylum in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively.
389, 764, 755, and 1,733 Nigerians received the green light in 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019, respectively. In 2020, 2021, and 2022, 1,534, 2,302, and 1,315 persons were granted protection, respectively. 1086 and 381 Nigerians were accepted for protection in 2023 and Q1 of 2024.
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Christmas in Naija: How We Dey Manage Celebrate Despite Wahala
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Edo To Get First Lady As Gov Okpebholo Reportedly Set To Quit Bachelorhood
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
December 24, (THEWILL) – Barring any last minute change of heart, the governor of Edo State, Monday Okpebholo, is allegedly set to marry his side chick, a California-based lady, Jennifer, the daughter of Sharon Ogaga, who is a native of Auchi and is believed to be in her 30s.
THEWILL reports that the marriage is scheduled to be held in Potter Ranch, California, in January 2024, while Aso ebi for the event is being distributed to friends of the bride for a fee around America, Europe and Africa, the letter of invitation only identifies Jennifer, but does not mention the identity of the husband-to-be, in what appears to be a deliberate attempt to mask governor Okpebolo’s identity and shield him from the controversial move.
What is weird is that Jennifer and her family are being coy with the identity of the man she is marrying.
One of THEWILL’s sources, however, has a direct confirmation that Governor Okpebholo is the “husband-in-waiting.”
“They are only telling people that Jennifer is getting married. They are not revealing the identity of the man. It is obvious they are hiding something, probably they don’t want distractions to taint the ceremony,” one of the sources said.
THEWILL does not know the status of Okpebholo’s current marriage to Blessing Okpabi Okpebholo, the mother of his two daughters, who was a no-show during his inauguration as governor.
It, however, appears that their marriage is over because it is illegal to be married to more than one person under the laws of the United States.
According to one of our sources, Senator Adams Oshiomhole allegedly hooked Jennifer up with the governor.
The governor’s Special Adviser on Media, Osiobughie Okhuemoi, said he was unaware of the development when THEWILL contacted him for comments a few days ago.
THE WILL
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WATCH moment Tinubu hails FCT minister for his doggedness, sterling performance
President Bola Tinubu has described the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, minister Nyesom Wike as a performing and dogged technocrat.
Naijablitznews reports Tinubu made this assertion during his maiden presidential chat on Monday.
The president rounded up by saying “I doff my hat for the performing minister.
Watch clip below:
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