News

Couple Facing Deportation In Canada Reveal Why They Ran Away From Nigeria

Published

6 years ago

December 1, 2019

A Nigerian family of five faced deportation from Canada after being denied refugee status on Thursday.

Rasheedat Bakare (wife) and her husband, Afeez, son Faaiq and daughter Faiqah reportedly fled Nigeria and arrived in Canada in 2017. The family’s youngest daughter Farhana was born in Canada in 2018.

The family was informed to leave the country by 3 pm on Friday but Mrs Bakare who is approximately five months pregnant collapsed and was rushed to the hospital.

This prompted the Canadian government to issue a temporary delay on the deportation order.

Their case caught the attention of the African Community Organization of Windsor (ACOW), a group that staged a protest on Friday outside the office of Windsor, a city in southwestern Ontario, Canada.

The president of the group, Claude Saizonou, said they had to protest the family’s deportation because they have been through such situation before.

“We never react. We never say anything,” he said. “And we just have [had] enough of it. We just want to stand up and say ‘If we don’t do it, nobody would do it for us.’ And this family has to stay today.”

Mrs Bakare said her unborn child too would be a girl and according to her, returning to Nigeria exposes her daughters to genital mutilation (circumcision).

“We ran away because they wanted to circumcise my baby girl — the one I brought from Africa. When I got to Canada, I had another baby girl. Currently, I’m pregnant with another baby girl. Now [I’ll have] three baby girls — [and all of their lives are] going to be at risk.” CBC quoted Mrs Bakare to have said.

Mr Bakare said he’s not sure when he and his family will be required to leave.

“I don’t want my life and my family to be in danger,” he said.
“My wife is in a state where she is restless, she cannot do anything.”

Windsor West NDP MP, Brian Masse, described the action of the Canadian government as “heavy-handed,” adding that it was even logistically difficult for the Nigerian family to comply with the deportation order in the first place, simply because of how little time was given.

At the same time, Masse pointed out the third child of the family, Farhana, who was born in Canada in 2018, is a naturalized citizen, complicating matters further.

An immigration consultant, Marwan Zarif who spoke to CBC noted that the family has a few options to appeal their deportation.

Their first option is to file for a pre-removal risk assessment.

“The problem with this pre-removal risk assessment is that immigration has to send you a form to fill,” said Zarif. “You can’t just apply for it.”

In effect, the risk assessment allows the federal government to determine the overall risk of persecution by returning to a country.

Zarif said there are some drawbacks associated with the pre-removal risk assessment, namely that potential applicants need to wait at least one year before they can submit a form.

A second option is to apply to the refugee appeal division part of the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada.

However, Zarif said the appeal division “hasn’t been very active.”
“The immigration board hasn’t been listening to a lot of cases,” he said. “Unfortunately, this is how it is.

If a refugee appeal is denied, Zarif said the Federal Court of Canada is also a means of recourse.

(CBC)

News

Idahosa Hosts NBA, Assures Of Government’s Collaboration

Published

10 hours ago

June 17, 2025

Editor

Edo State deputy governor, Hon. Dennis Idahosa, has assured of the Governor Monday Okpebholo-led administration’s desire to reduce crime and criminality in the state while also upholding the rule of law.

According to a press statement by Friday Aghedo, the Chief Press Secretary to the deputy governor, Idahosa gave the assurance when he played host to members of the Benin branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in Benin on Tuesday.

During the interface with the body of lawyers, also referred to as “Lion Bar,” the deputy governor solicited their collaboration to help rid the state of violent crimes.

“Indeed, the state we met was plagued with security challenges such as kidnapping, cultism and its related issues, and other vices for which the governor needed to take decisive action to address these menaces which plagued society.

“To the glory of God and with your support, we have done reasonably well at reducing crime in Edo State,” he stated.

He informed the lawyers that their collaboration with the administration would assist at stamping out crimes and criminality and boost investors confidence in the state.

Idahosa also promised the government support to the lawyers in whatever capacity to assist in carrying out their functions efficiently.

Speaking earlier, the Benin NBA branch, Idemudia Osifo, congratulated and commended Governor Okpebholo, his deputy, Dennis Idahosa, on their inauguration and efforts at eradicating security challenges in the state.

He said the NBA maintained cordiality with the seat of power in order to form a solid partnership geared towards the delivery of dividends of democracy to the people of the state.

He further commended the Okpebholo-led administration for appointing members of the Bar to key positions of his government.

Speaking on the rule of law, Osifo said that the Bar believed that the administration would deliver, especially against the background of swearing in the three judges denied the same action by the immediate past administration

“That singular action showed the willingness of this administration to reposition Edo State in terms of Justice delivery and the rule of law,” he stated.

He expressed the willingness of the Benin Branch of the NBA to support the government to fight crime and criminality

News

Police Quiz Pastor Paul Adefarasin Over ‘Gun-like Object’ Video

Published

10 hours ago

June 17, 2025

Editor

The Lagos State Police Command has confirmed that Pastor Paul Adefarasin, founder of the House on the Rock Church, has turned himself in for questioning over a viral video that appeared to show him holding a gun-like object during a roadside encounter.

The Command, in a post shared via its official X (formerly Twitter) account on Tuesday, stated, “No one is above the law!

“Pastor Paul Adefarasin has turned himself in at the Lagos State Police Command Headquarters, Ikeja and is currently being interrogated by detectives who have commenced investigation on the case since a video surfaced online showing the pastor holding a gun-like object against another road user, while driving in an unregistered vehicle.

“The outcome of the investigation will be made public.”

The video, which surfaced earlier, shows Adefarasin holding a metallic object while speaking to a passerby who appeared to be recording him.

The clip has since gone viral, with several social media users alleging that the object was a firearm.

Responding to the allegations, Adefarasin in a message to his congregation posted on his verified social media pages, he denied brandishing a weapon.

He described the incident as a misunderstanding.

According to the cleric, the object in question was not a firearm, and at no point was it pointed at anyone.

News

How Trailer Sent To Kill Me Fell Flat, Dented — Iwo Monarch

Published

14 hours ago

June 17, 2025

Editor

The Oluwo of Iwo, Oba AbdulRasheed Akanbi, said the trailer that was sent to kill him upon hitting him fell flat and got extremely dented.

The Osun monarch made the revelation while testifying to the power of God in a now-trending video on Tuesday.

While Oba Akanbi didn’t give details or the location of the incident, he noted that after the trailer hit him, he saw some angels of God dragging it.

“A trailer that was sent to kill us, hit us and fell flat and extremely dented. It was dragged away by angels of God. Except you do not choose God. Don’t have doubts while trusting God.”