Nigerians remain in Saudi prisons over unpaid fines after jail terms — Envoy

Some Nigerians remain in prisons and detention centres across Saudi Arabia despite completing their jail terms because they are unable to pay outstanding fines, Nigeria’s Ambassador to the Kingdom, Dr Yakubu Gambo, has disclosed.

Gambo raised the concern on Thursday during a visit to the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.

The development was disclosed in a statement signed by NiDCOM’s Media, Public Relations and Protocol Officer, Violet Nwosu.

The ambassador said the welfare and protection of Nigerians living in Saudi Arabia remained a priority of the Nigerian Mission.

He also disclosed that the mission had directed Nigerian associations in the Kingdom to operate under a single umbrella organisation to improve coordination and strengthen engagement with the embassy.

“The mission has directed the various Nigerian groups to organise themselves under one umbrella body to foster unity and enable the Embassy to engage meaningfully and effectively in addressing any diaspora issue,” Gambo said.

However, he identified the situation of Nigerians in detention as one of the major challenges confronting the mission.

“We are also confronted with challenges involving Nigerians in prisons and detention centres, including those who have completed their jail terms but are unable to return home because of outstanding fines,” he said.

Gambo also challenged the perception that Nigerians in Saudi Arabia are largely associated with criminal activities, noting that many citizens have built successful careers, businesses and families in the Kingdom.

He said Nigerian doctors, engineers, teachers, artisans and traders were making positive contributions to Saudi Arabian society, while some Nigerian families had lived in the country for decades.

The Consul General of Nigeria in Jeddah, Ambassador Muazam I.J. Nayaya, identified consular services as another major challenge facing the Nigerian Mission.

Nayaya disclosed that diplomatic officials issue dozens of emergency travel certificates daily to Nigerians in detention centres who are seeking to return to Nigeria.

He commended NiDCOM for its intervention in resolving the case of Nigerian national Suleiman Alufa and other issues involving Nigerians in Saudi Arabia.

Responding, Dabiri-Erewa assured the delegation that NiDCOM would continue to collaborate with the Nigerian Mission in Saudi Arabia to improve the welfare of Nigerians in the Kingdom.

She welcomed the proposed consolidation of Nigerian associations under one umbrella, describing it as an important step towards improving communication and resolving issues affecting the diaspora.

Dabiri-Erewa also said the positive contributions of Nigerians in Saudi Arabia were often overshadowed by reports of criminal cases and other challenges.

“We only hear about the bad cases; we don’t hear about Nigerians excelling in Saudi Arabia. Now is the time to start celebrating them,” she said.

The NiDCOM chairman urged Nigerians living in Saudi Arabia to register on the commission’s Diaspora Data Mapping Portal, saying accurate data would assist the government in planning and engaging more effectively with citizens abroad.

She also called for increased support for Nigerian diplomatic missions as they manage growing consular responsibilities.

Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to protecting the interests and welfare of Nigerians in Saudi Arabia while strengthening their contributions to the Kingdom and Nigeria’s national development.