Seychelles has recently implemented restrictions on Nigerian tourists owing to the high incidence of criminal activities such as drug trafficking and internet fraud, which have been associated with individuals from Nigeria, the largest African nation by population.
Immigration authorities in Seychelles have received instructions, as revealed by Vice President Ahmed Afif, to restrict entry into the country to Nigerians with diplomatic passports and residential permits.
Seychelles News Agency confirms that the vice president has issued a statement prohibiting Nigerians from entering Seychelles as tourists or new immigrants indefinitely.
In his remarks, Afif highlighted the capability of his country to establish the connection between Nigerians and a wide range of criminal activities, with a specific focus on drug trafficking and online fraud syndicates.
‘We have seen a clear link between this with certain people from Nigeria. In the past two weeks, for example, 13 people coming from Nigeria have been arrested when entering Seychelles because they were carrying drugs into the country,’ Mr Afif said.
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‘In one case, 62 Nigerians who said they were on holiday used false credit cards and the money was never credited to the accounts of these establishments.’
‘These establishments have lost money. These people spent free holidays in the country at the expense of the establishment owners, and there is nothing that can be done for them,’ he added.
Afif’s statement came in the wake of a social media storm triggered by Nigerians who raised allegations of unwarranted visa rejections by Seychelles, causing a significant outcry.
Over the past few months, Nigeria has witnessed visa bans imposed by multiple countries, and the United Arab Emirates, specifically, included the West African nation in a list of 17 African countries barred from entry.
‘We do not have a problem with Nigeria or its people though we do not tolerate such criminal activities in our country,’ Afif stated. ‘There are other online scams originating from Nigeria. We have seen that these people are also coming to Seychelles and doing those scams.’
‘When we checked the payments made for them to come to Seychelles, it is from only one source. This is for different people coming on different days, which shows an organised syndicate,’ the vice president added.
According to Afif, Seychelles’ standpoint is not against Nigeria or Nigerians in general; rather, the country’s focus lies on addressing the recent increase in criminal activities that have been linked to Nigerians.