Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) has appealed to the Cape Verde authorities to return Nigerian tourists, who travelled from Senegal to Cape Verde Island on a vacation to the country.
NIDCOM Director of Media, Public Relations and Protocols Unit, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, in a press statement Wednesday in Abuja, ssid: “The attention NIDCOM) has been drawn to a case of six Nigerian tourists who travelled from Senegal to Cape Verde Island on a vacation, and on arrival at Cape Verde, they were pulled out of the line.
“They were accused of not having enough funds and their phones confiscated. They were subsequently locked up in an immigration deportation camp at the airport.”
Balogun said, “Reports from the immigration detention centre indicate that they are going through distress and trauma with one of them having a medical condition without access to his drugs.
“We appeal to the Immigration authorities in Cape Verde to please treat the tourists with respect and dignity and put them on the next immediate return flight to Dakar for onward connection back to Nigeria.
“The families of these young Nigerians, ranging between 25 and 31 years, have been expectedly worried about the safety of their children.”
He listed the tourists as David James Udoh, Lily Dada, Oghenero Adaware, Sherifat Abimbola Ogundairo and Jesutomi Aina, and the travel agent / tourist company, ìrìn travels (@irintravels and (@theFARAWAY ).
The Commission’s spokesperson further stated that the matter has also been reported to the Consular and Migration Directorate in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.