Nigerian Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Mr. Abubakar Bunu, has said many Nigerian emigrants are changing their names to outsmart authorities and avoid deportation.
Bunu disclosed this to journalists in Gusau on Saturday January 18th 2014. He said many immigrants have gone into hiding making it difficult for authorities to locate them.
He disclosed that this has caused joint efforts by Saudi Arabia authorities and the Nigerian Embassy to locate immigrants very difficult. He said only about five hundred persons have been repatriated in the last six months.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Bunu said the embassy had discovered that some of the emigrants, who had lived there for upwards of 25 years, had crossed through different routes including Sudan and Yemen or as pilgrims on lesser hajj and refused to return.
Bunu stated that Saudi Arabia authorities have said Nigerians staying illegally in the kingdom is over one million, though the exact figure is not known.
He advised Nigerians who want to stay in the Arabian country to regularise their documents with the authorities to avoid unwarranted embarrassment.
Recently deported Nigerians who spoke to NAN disclosed that “only when one was hit with hard luck that the person gets arrested and deported.”
They maintained that many Nigerians still lived normal lives in Mecca and Madinah by going to the markets and praying at the Holy Mosques without being harassed.
They said, “We will still go back whenever we get the chance.” We still have our family members and personal belongings there.”
NAN reports that the ambassador was in the state to attend the state’s PDP elders and stakeholders meeting organised by the party’s caretaker leadership in Gusau.
