I learned that a large number of Nigerians are in Ireland as asylum-seekers or refugees. I wondered whether it is the same Nigeria we are talking about. Based on what they said, I challenge those Nigerians parading themselves as political or religious asylum-seekers in Ireland to a public debate on what has caused them to flee to these shores. Many of the stories told about Nigerian oppression are lies and fabrications. For instance, some Nigerian here have claimed that young female family members have been forcibly circumcised.
Nigerian law forces no one to be circumcised.
The Nigerian penal code prohibits the infliction of all tribal marks and mutilations, with a penalty of seven years' imprisonment. Another claim made by Nigerian asylum-seekers is that they are fleeing political persecution. But their claims that this is based on their ethnic or regional background is false. For the record, the Nigerian political situation is one of the military versus the civilians. There is little north-south conflict.