800 NIGERIANS DETAINED IN SAUDI ARABIA FOR IRREGULAR MIGRATION

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By Adeniyi Onaara

About 800 Nigerians have been imprisoned and arrested in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for offenses that have some connection to illegal immigration.

This was said in a statement released on Friday and signed by Gabriel Odu, Head of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission’s Public Relations Section.

The need to remove the illegal foreign residents was cited by the Saudi authorities as the presence of 45,458 illegal migrants in the nation.

The Saudi government started its crackdown in October 2022.

Although noting that Saudi authorities have tightened their crackdown on irregular migrants, the Federal Government of Nigeria urged Nigerians traveling to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to complete correct papers.

“The Management of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission’s attention has been directed to a notification from the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation on Saudi Arabian authorities escalating their crackdown on unauthorized foreigners in their Kingdom,” the statement said.

According to the letter, Saudi Arabia increased nationwide joint efforts between October 2022 and December 2022 with the goal of ridding the country of unauthorized immigrants.

The Saudi Arabian government noted in the Communication to the Federal Government of Nigeria that approximately 45,458 foreigners, including those who have violated residency regulations, attempted illegal border crossings, and irregular migrants who have committed labor-related offenses, are present in the nation.

“NiDCOM, therefore, advises Nigerians traveling to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia without valid papers to refrain from doing so as Saudi authorities have increased a clampdown on irregular migrants,” it says. Since the crackdown started in October 2022, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has arrested and detained over 800 Nigerians for different offenses, notably consular concerns.

NiDCOM advises Nigerians to refrain from violating the laws of other nations, despite the Nigerian Embassy in Saudi Arabia’s intervention in this situation.

In a similar spirit, President Major General Muhammadu Buhari (ret.) has urged Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan of the United Arab Emirates to reinstate the UAE’s blanket visa ban on Nigerian travelers.

“The commission has appealed to Nigerian citizens that if they must travel, they should travel with proper documentation and legitimately too.”