Homosexual Nigerians have become the highest percentage of asylum seekers in Canada, according to Canadian authorities. With the strict law against the practice of homosexuality in Nigeria, many citizens who practice it have taken to Canada to see refuge.
In a recent report, Canadian authorities revealed that two out of every three Nigerian applicants claim to be victims of homophobic attacks. It further revealed that Nigeria had 12,138 pending applications as of December 2018, in its Refugee Protection Division of the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada.
The report also recorded that the total number of pending applications from across the world stood at 71,675 and Homosexual Nigerians seeking asylum in Canada takes up 17% of this number.
According to Jawad Kassab who led the refugee and immigration programme at Legal Aid Ontario in 2017, the agency had identified an unusual pattern in sexual orientation claims filed by Nigerian refugee seekers. Speaking to CBC News, he further said he was concerned that if claims were fabricated, refugees with legitimate claims might have a harder time getting the help they need.
“It galls me because of the potential impact it could have on the refugee system and
the Canadian public’s perception of refugee claimants and refugees in a very
vulnerable time globally,” he said
This means the authorities have found that some Nigerians claiming to be homosexual are actually not one.
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