Egypt to deport seven #EndSARS protesters

The federal government says Egyptian authorities have decided to deport seven #EndSARS protesters earlier arrested in the country.

The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) said they are being  deported for not having resident permits and visas.

“The Egyptian authorities have said that Seven out of the eight Nigerians who protested in Egypt on 18 October, will be deported to Nigeria for lack of resident permits/ visas,” it said via its Twitter handle.

Update on the 8 Nigerians detained in Cairo for protesting without a permit:

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The Egyptian authorities have said that Seven out of the eight Nigerians who protested in Egypt on 18 October, will be deported to Nigeria for lack of resident permits/ visas.
1/2. https://t.co/r6hTyn6yLi

— Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (@nidcom_gov) November 2, 2020

The agency said while eight Nigerians were initially arrested, only one has residency permit.

It said the one with a permit will get “final clearance” from Egyptian authorities after signing an undertaking not to be involved in “unauthorised activities while still in the country.”

The Nigerians – four men and four women – have been in detention for more than two weeks.

They were picked up after storming the streets to identify with the #EndSARS protest against police brutality in Nigeria.

The Nigerian mission in Egypt had said it will continue to engage with the country’s authorities to ensure their release.

The Egyptian government is known to clamp down on protests and all forms of dissent.

In 2013, the country signed a law that banned all forms of protests unless with approval from the country’s police, which is rarely given.