NMA Ex-president Tasks Government on Medical Rehabilitation of Libya Returnees
• Falana blames FG for slavery tragedy
• Wants monetary damages for victims
A medical expert, Dr. Osahon Enabulele, has blamed the gross failure of Nigeria’s leadership for the enslavement of Nigerian migrants in the Magreb.
Enabulele, who is the former President of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) and Vice President, Commonwealth Medical Association (CMA), cited the country’s inability to provide viable socio-economic opportunities for a majority of her citizens.
The expert, who spoke yesterday in Benin City, lamented the countless deaths of some Nigerians while crossing the sea, as well as the mass deportation of these emigrants.
He called on government to urgently embark on medical rehabilitation of the returnees, stressing the potential health implications associated with this circle of activities.
He said these include physical and traumatic injuries resulting from deliberate torture of the migrants, increased cases of physical exhaustion leading to death in some cases and increased incidence of pregnancies and its complications.Others are increased exposure to sexually transmitted infections, increased transmission of infections such as typhoid, cholera and respiratory infections (including Tuberculosis), which could undermine the overall quality of health of the Nigerian migrants and even their families.
According to him, arising from these potentially devastating health effects, there is great need for urgent medical rehabilitation of the deportees.
“This must necessarily include comprehensive and continuing medical care for the deportees preferably to be undertaken by family physicians, as well as intense psychotherapy and social support for the deportees,” he said.
In another development, President, Talakawa’s Parliament/Joint Legal Action Aids (JLAA), Marxist Kola Edokpayi, has commended Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki for his proactive move in rescuing the deported indigenes of the state.
Meanwhile, foremost human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, yesterday blamed the Nigerian government for the dehumanising tragedy of its citizens in Libya.
According to him, Nigeria has herself to blame for the calamity because it failed to consider her political and strategic interests in Libya, before supporting the illegal resolution of the United Nations Security Council, which authorized its invasion.
Falana therefore urged the Federal Government to demand monetary compensation from the Libyan government for the victims, having regards to the facts and circumstances of the illegal human trafficking in Libya.
He said the regime change had ensured an uninterrupted supply of the Libyan oil to western countries, while the country had been completely destroyed.
“Today, not less than five armed gangs are laying claim to the leadership of the country. It has been confirmed that the arms and ammunition looted from the armoury in Libya were sold to the dreaded Boko Haram sect.
By: Bertram Nwannekanma (Lagos) and Michael Egbejule (Benin City)
The Guardian News
