Opinion ID: 6216735
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Application for Immigration Relief

Text: In April 2014, Ojo filed an application for asylum, withholding of removal, and protection under the CAT. Ojo claimed he was afraid to return to Nigeria because, as a Christian, he would face persecution and/or torture from Boko Haram, and as a criminal deportee, he would face persecution and/or torture from the police and other individuals. Ojo also asserted that his computer business in Nigeria would suffer on account of his conviction. Ojo participated in a number of hearings in immigration court throughout 2014. He supplemented his application for relief with various exhibits to support his assertion that, if denied relief by the agency, he would face persecution and torture in Nigeria based on his status as a criminal deportee. In particular, through his counsel, Ojo submitted the sworn declarations of two of his sisters that 6 articulated their concern, based upon conversations with others in the community, that Ojo would be imprisoned and subject to torture in Nigeria as a criminal deportee. In addition, Ojo provided news articles corroborating the practice of Nigerian officials to detain criminal deportees. Moreover, Ojo submitted the sworn Declaration of Basil Ugochukwu (the “Ugochukwu Declaration”). Based upon his curriculum vitae, Dr. Ugochukwu is a Nigerian human rights lawyer and lecturer who is an expert on the Nigerian justice system. The Ugochukwu Declaration, after setting forth Dr. Ugochukwu’s qualifications and experience with the Nigerian justice system, describes the mistreatment of criminal deportees when they return to Nigeria. Specifically, Dr. Ugochukwu opined that Ojo “will be targeted by the Nigerian police and prison officials for particularly severe abuse because he will be a criminal deportee.” Cert. Admin. R. at 859. He further explained that “there is a high probability that [Ojo] will be held and detained indefinitely by the Nigerian police and prison system” where he “will face deplorable and life-threatening conditions.” Cert. Admin. R. at 859. 7