AFRICA NEWS

Africa migrants detained in a football stadium at Yemen

Children among African migrants held in Yemen

Children are among over 2,000 African migrants rounded up and detained in a football stadium in Yemen, an official for the International Organization for Migration (IOM) has told BBC Newsday programme.

Olivia Headon, IOM spokesperson in Yemen, said the migrants, predominately from Ethiopia, Somalia and Djibouti, are being held in Aden, Abyan and Laj in southern Yemen.

Ms Headon said the migrants were on their way to Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries and were apprehended at military checkpoints and brought to football stadiums and a military camp.

She said the migrants are willing to do “anything and any job they find”.

“Even those who aren’t children but are still a really young group, they’re like 18,19, 20, and they’re all extremely vulnerable to abuse along this route, potential trafficking and abuse once they get to their final destination, in terms of what type of labour they will be doing and what type of pay they will get,” said the IOM official.

She said in the Gulf and Middle East and North Africa region, women often end up as house maids, cleaners, gardeners, but it remains unclear what kind of jobs children aged between 10 and 12 were “expecting to do”.

Yemen has been devastated by a conflict that escalated in March 2015, when the rebel Houthi group seized control of much of the west of the country.

The war has killed tens of thousands and put Yemen on the brink of famine.

Ms Headon said Yemen has now set stricter rules for irregular migrants and that they could be repatriated to their countries of origin on a voluntary basis.

Source: BBC

Ogyem Solomon

Solomon Ogyem – Media Entrepreneur | Journalist | Brand Ambassador Solomon Ogyem is a dynamic Ghanaian journalist and media entrepreneur currently based in South Africa. With a solid foundation in journalism, Solomon is a graduate of the OTEC School of Journalism and Communication Studies in Ghana and Oxbridge Academy in South Africa. He began his career as a reporter at OTEC 102.9 MHz in Kumasi, where he honed his skills in news reporting, community storytelling, and radio broadcasting. His passion for storytelling and dedication to the media industry led him to establish Press MltiMedia Company in South Africa—a growing platform committed to authentic African narratives and multimedia journalism. Solomon is the founder and owner of Thepressradio.com, a news portal focused on delivering credible, timely, and engaging stories across Ghana and Africa. He also owns Press Global Tickets, a service-driven venture in the travel and logistics space, providing reliable ticketing services. He previously owned two notable websites—Ghanaweb.mobi and ShowbizAfrica.net—both of which contributed to entertainment and socio-political discussions within Ghana’s digital space. With a diverse background in media, digital journalism, and business, Solomon Ogyem is dedicated to telling impactful African stories, empowering youth through media, and building cross-continental media partnerships.

Related Articles

Back to top button