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At least 1500 Nigerians are serving jail phrases for numerous offences in Italy, Italian Ambassador to Nigeria, Stefanou Pontesilli, has revealed.
”In Italy now we have about 1500 Nigerians in jail for numerous offences. It is a massive quantity,” Pontesilli instructed journalists in Abuja.
”We typically ship them again to Nigeria as soon as they completed their phrases as a result of they haven't behaved effectively.”
But he denied stories that the European nation typically ship Nigerian migrants from there to Libya.
He mentioned, ”Never, we by no means despatched anybody not even one single individual to Libya.
”Some Nigerians are caught in Libya as a result of they had been by no means in a position to cross over to Italy, however all those that went to Italy nobody, not even one was ever despatched again.
”All Nigerians who've reached Italy and are behaving effectively don't have any drawback.
”Not one among them not even one has heard of being despatched again to Libya.”
He confirmed that 1000's of Nigerians unable to cross from Libya to Italy have been caught in Libya.
”That is why Italy has been doing a lot on the migration by saving tens and 1000's of the Nigerians’ lives when crossing the Mediterranean.
”Authority has been doing a lot by taking them to Italy, feeding them, getting them jobs, giving them home and attempting to present them a new life,” he additionally mentioned.