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Emigration and immigration

Canadian Court Denies Nigerian Ex-Police Officer Permanent Residency Citing 'Evil' Force's Crimes

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

A Canadian federal judge has ruled that Iyangbe Eriator, a former Nigerian police officer, cannot remain in Canada due to his ties to the "evil and criminal" Nigerian Police Force. The judge upheld the decision of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to reject Eriator's application for permanent residency, citing the force's systematic crimes against humanity, including rape, torture, and murder. In a strongly worded judgment, Justice Yvan Roy described the Nigerian police as having a policy that requires officers to commit atrocities, and Eriator's service within the force made him complicit in these crimes. This ruling reflects Canada's strict stance on asylum and immigration claims from former Nigerian police officers, particularly those connected to disbanded units like SARS and MOPOL.

Key Takeaways:

  • A Canadian federal judge denied permanent residency to Iyangbe Eriator, a former Nigerian police corporal, due to his ties to the "evil and criminal" Nigerian Police Force.
  • The judge ruled that Eriator's service in the notorious Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and his involvement in units responsible for human rights abuses made him complicit in these crimes.
  • Eriator had argued that he was just a rank-and-file officer and did not take part in any of the force's crimes, but the judge ruled that his voluntary service and involvement in units notorious for human rights abuses made his defence not credible.
  • This ruling is part of a growing trend of asylum rejections for Nigerian ex-police officers in Canada, reflecting the country's strict stance on immigration claims from former Nigerian police officers.
  • The UN Refugee Convention and Canadian law consider ex-officers from the Nigeria Police Force guilty by association due to the force's global reputation for brutality, torture, and extrajudicial killings.

Statistics:

  • Iyangbe Eriator entered Canada through the U.S. border in October 2017.
  • Eriator served in the Nigerian police from June 2009 to 2016.
  • 2021: another Nigerian ex-police officer, Olushola Popoola, was denied asylum by Judge Sebastien Grammond for similar reasons.
  • In 2021, Charles Ukoniwe, an ex-officer from the Mobile Police Unit (MOPOL), failed to secure asylum when Judge Patrick Gleeson ruled that willingly joining the Nigeria Police Force amounts to guilt by association under Canadian law and the UN Refugee Convention.
  • Canada has a strict stance on immigration claims from former Nigerian police officers, particularly those connected to disbanded units like SARS and MOPOL.

Sources:

  • "Canadian federal judge denies permanent residency to Nigerian ex-police officer" (no date mentioned in the source)
  • Justice Yvan Roy's judgment (no date mentioned in the source)
  • Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) (no date mentioned in the source)
  • [Source 1: no specific source mentioned in the original text]

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