Nigerians, others face deportation, UAE issues Nov deadline to leave the Golf country

Nigerians and other foreigners in the United Arab Emirates whose resident visas had expired have till November 17 to leave the Gulf country.

This followed the suspension of visa extension for foreign residents and expatriates by the UAE government on account of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Previously, residents with visas that expired before March 1 had until August 18 to leave the country without having to pay a fine, but now, they have until November 17.

The authorities said those who violated the directive would be deported and would also pay fines under the UAE immigration regulations.

Under its modified COVID-19 visa policies that took effect August 1, foreign residents currently in the country have until October 10 to renew expired visas.

According to the UAE official portal, https://u.ae/#, tourists and visit visa holders have a grace period of 10 days to renew their visas or they would be fined AED 200 (N20,476) for the first day of overstay; AED100 (N10,373) each consecutive day and AED 100, as service fees.

In the case of UAE residents, they have 30 days’ grace period after visa expiry to either amend their status and get another resident visa or leave the country.

Fines do not apply during the grace period, but if they overstayed after the grace period, they will be fined AED 125 for the first day; AED 25 for each subsequent day; AED 50 per day after six months of overstaying and AED 100 per day after one year of overstaying.

“Residents with expired visas who wish to leave the country should cancel their expired visas prior to departure. Their visa cancellation documents will show the grace period they have to exit the country,” the directive said.

But officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs who spoke on condition of anonymity noted that the Nigerians, including Pakistanis, Iranians, Bangladeshis and Indians, ignored the directive to leave the country.

A senior official said, “With the expiration/cancellation of their visas, the Nigerians and other foreigners affected by the policy have become illegal migrants. What this means is that the UAE authorities would arrest and deport them and the expenses would be borne by the deportees.”

The official said the affected Nigerian nationals would have to obtain COVID-19 medical result and emergency travel certificate before they can return home.

Our correspondent also learnt that the affected individuals might face a two-year travel ban if deported from the Gulf country.

Findings by our correspondent indicated that the UAE authorities hitherto jailed illegal migrants for two months before expelling them.

When contacted, the spokesman, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abdul-Rahman Balogun, said the commission was aware of the situation and would make its position known soon.

The spokesman, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr Ferdinand Nwonye, said the government had yet to take a position on the issue.

Source: The Punch

Why Nigerians should stop running abroad for greener pastures – Bishop Oyedepo

Bishop David Oyedepo of the Living Faith Bible Church aka Winers’ Chapel has opined that Nigerians should stop running abroad in seraph of greener pastures.

In a message posted on his Instagram page hours ago, the Man of God who is well traveled and avast wrote “There is a future in what you are doing. You do not need to run away to Europe or America. There is nothing anywhere else that is not where you are. Therefore, you are not created to be a beggar.”

As expected the post did not go down well with many Nigerians online.

One Bizzy Smile wrote in response “Says a man that his children didn’t school in Nigeria”

One Chywanders wrote “Sir, aside from our leaders in government, you are one of those figures contributing immensely to the high rate of poverty in Nigeria.”

One Iteeigbo wrote “Shebi you know say them de pay medical doctors #150,000 in Nigeria. And a medical doctor in Canada earns $2000 minimum. So where is the future in Nigeria “

One Nnenna Aldo wrote “Of course. When Nigerians are paying tithe and offering more than white people why won’t he say this? It applies to you alone”

Another one wrote “He just wants to maintain Living Faith huge crowd in Nigeria…. how many of your children are here Sir?

Covid-19: 3 Prominent Nigerians die of Covid-19 in 1 day

Covid-19 took a fatality swipe at the country as three prominent Nigerians were reported to have died on Sunday, July 5, as a result of coronavirus complications.

The three victims are Professor Godwin Achinge, J. Shalanga, and Chief Jide Odekunle who is the immediate past general manager of the Lagos State Infrastructure Maintenance and Regulatory Agency (LASIMRA).

Achinge, who is the vice-chairman of Benue State Action Committee on COVID-19, died on Sunday afternoon at an undisclosed hospital in Jos where he was receiving treatment.

NCDC supervisor in Zamfara state, J. Shalanga, and two other prominent Nigerians have died of Covid-19 complication on Sunday. Credit: Vanguard and Nigerian Tribune.

A deputy vice-chancellor of Benue State University, Makurdi, Achinge's Covid-19 status was confirmed by Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue state hours before his death.

Shalanga, on the other hands, is the state supervisor of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) in Zamfara, supervising the spread and control of the virus in the state.

His death was confirmed by Zamfara state commissioner of health, Alhaji Yahaya Kanoma, who said the NCDC supervisor fell sick and was rushed to Yariman Bakura Specialist hospital Gusau for treatment. He died on the way.

Meanwhile, Odekunle died on Sunday at the age of 53 at the Onikan isolation centre in Lagos state. He was until his death the Bobagunwa of Egbaland.

Thomas Macias attended the party in June, and on June 20, he wrote an impassioned message on Facebook in which he lamented ignoring social distancing.

A day after posting his regret on Facebook, Macias succumbed to the deadly disease.