The federal government has urged Italy to ensure that Nigerian immigrants in that country are treated with dignity and respect.
Italy has become the major arrival point for Nigerian migrants en route to Europe, most of them crossing the Mediterranean from Libya.
But in recent time, Italy and other European countries, in a coordinated move, have deported hundreds of Nigerians for various immigration offences.
The Foreign Ministry called on the Italian government to ensure that immigrants due for deportation are ‘medically fit’ and returned home with dignity.
The ministry’s permanent secretary, Sola Enikanolaiye, stated this when the outgoing Italian Ambassador to Nigeria, Fulvio Rustico paid him a courtesy call in Abuja.
A statement by Acting Spokesperson of the ministry, Jane Adams said Enikanolaiye thanked the Italian envoy for his pivotal role in the implementation of agreement on Migration between both countries.
The Italian envoy, according to the statement, extolled the six-decade bilateral relations between Nigeria and Italy, saying the ties was re-launched through high-level exchange of visits by most senior government officials of both countries.
He expressed satisfaction over the increasing bilateral trade volume between both countries, stressing that Italy was positioned to engage in industrial development of Nigeria, including agriculture and oil & gas.
He said the enormous investment potentials in Nigeria has made it a priority for Italy’s investment hub.