Food News
“His release is more than one family’s relief — it is a reminder that justice is possible when we stand together.”
The manager of Suya Joint, a popular West African restaurant in Roxbury, has been released from ICE custody after several months of detainment in New Hampshire.
The update about Paul Dama’s status was published Friday on the Suya Joint Instagram by his sister, Cecelia Lizotte, who’s also the chef and owner of Suya Joint’s Roxbury and new Providence locations.
In a video, Lizotte and Dama can be seen walking away from a building at night. Dama waved to the camera while Lizotte told viewers she picked her brother up in the middle of the night.
“Today, we celebrate freedom,” the social media post read. “After months of unjust detention, our brother and community member, Paul Dama, has finally been granted asylum and released.”
Dama’s lawyer, Abeba Attles, confirmed he was granted asylum this week by Judge Yul-Mi Cho and was released from custody Thursday night. The Department of Homeland Security has the right to appeal the decision until Oct. 23.
Dama had applied for asylum in 2020, The Boston Globe reports, after fleeing from Nigeria, where he was kidnapped by terrorist group Boko Haram. Lizotte told the newspaper that he is legally authorized to work in the U.S.
But on Father’s Day, Dama was stopped while driving to church and then taken into ICE custody, his sister said.
He was held at Strafford County Jail in Dover, New Hampshire. Dama told the Globe the experience of ICE detainment brought up the trauma of facing political persecution in Nigeria, where he was targeted by Boko Haram for being a journalist and activist.
“I kind of felt like it was a kidnapping again,” he said.
During the period he was detained, Lizotte shared frequent updates about Dama in order to garner support for his release and raise money for his legal fees. She also had expressed concern over potentially shutting Suya Joint’s Roxbury location down due to Dama’s absence and the stress of the case on Lizotte.
“His release is more than one family’s relief — it is a reminder that justice is possible when we stand together,” an Instagram post celebrating Dama’s release read. “Paul’s victory shines a light for countless others still caught in the system, waiting for dignity, safety, and freedom. We share this win with all of you who refused to be silent. Together, we are proof that love is stronger than fear, and community is stronger than cruelty.”
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