Nigerian refugee can stay in Italy

PERUGIA, Italy, June 26 (UPI) -- Italy on Tuesday gave a residency permit to a Nigerian woman who said her 7-year-old daughter would be subjected to genital mutilation if they were sent home.

The residency permit was granted to Oghowen Agbi, 39, on humanitarian grounds, ANSA reported. Agbi had faced expulsion from Italy after her request for refugee status was denied.

"She fears that if she goes back to her home country, she won't be able to protect her young daughter from this harmful practice which is widespread in Africa and most Muslim countries," Agbi's lawyers told ANSA.

"It is also against Italian law to deport a person who would be subjected to such inhumane treatment in their homeland," the lawyers said.