Nigerians, Afghans, Iraqis Top List of Asylum Seekers

New York — Afghans, Iraqis, Somalis and Nigerians are top on the list of asylum seekers, according to the 2009 chart released by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR). Also top on the chart are people from Russia, China and Serbia.

According to UNHCR's provisional statistical report which measured asylum levels and trends in 44 industrialised nations, the number of asylum seekers last year remained the same with 377,000 applications compared to 2008.

Of this figure, Afghans represent 7 per cent (26,404); Iraqis - 7 per cent (26,404); Somalia - 6 per cent (22,632); Russia - 6 per cent (22,632); China - 5 per cent (18,860); Serbia - 5 per cent (18,860); and Nigerians - 4 per cent (15,088).

Nationals of the seven countries represent 40 per cent of asylum seekers, while the remaining 60 per cent come from other nationalities across the globe. The three countries that top the list - Afghanistan, Iraq and Somalia - had been repeatedly described as dangerous places to live in.

While suicide bombing is rampant in Afghanistan and Iraq, warlords and pirates reign in Somalia. Nearly half of the 377,000 applicants came from Asia and the Middle East representing 45 per cent, followed by Africa - 29 per cent, Europe - 15.5 per cent and the Americas - 9 per cent.

The report said United States of America remains the main destination country for asylum seekers for the fourth year as it accounted for 13 per cent of the claims, which represents an estimated 49,000 people, many of whom are from China.

Next to the US is France, which received 42,000 new applications in 2009, a 19 per cent increase over 2008. Canada ranks third among receiving countries with 33,000 applications, followed by United Kingdom with 29,800 applications. Germany received 27,600 asylum applications.

One can understand Afghans, Iraqis, Russians, Somalis seeking asylum. But what are Nigerians seeking asylum for? Are they robbers fleeing from justice or what? Despite our problems, life is more livable here than in America. A can of Coke costs $8, depending where you are in the US. That is approximately N1224. Who is deceiving who?

No matter what they said,Some Nigerians will be acting as if they are cursed,Is it not foolishness to head to head to all this places where they are also struggling to live. I wish they will brandish them terrorists and execute and repatriate them back to Nigeria,They are National disgrace,Since the Civil war,Nigerians have no any major unrest that will cause any fool to seek for asylum. They are gold diggers,If they are really sure of themselves,they should go to libya and Gadaffi will define their life for them.

This is exaggeration ,where are they going.Won't those so called big nations verify their reason before admitting junks.No true Nigerian will seek asylum ,except if he is running for his crime.
I will advice the UN to scrutinize more and probably send us their names.

More the pity that the ranks of the dead at heart are daily increasing.