UAE issues Nigerians 3-week ultimatum go back home

The United Arab Emirates has issued Nigerians whose visas have expired to leave the country before August 17, 2020 or face the wrath of the law.

This was disclosed in a ‘Public Notice’ released on Tuesday July 21, 2020.

While reacting to the ultimatum in a statement, the Nigerian Embassy in the Emirates urged affected citizens to immediately submit their papers for emigration processing.

The embassy advised concerned nationals to join the evacuation flights arranged from the country before the expiration of the grace period.

“The Embassy wishes to inform that the government of the United Arab Emirates has granted waivers on fines/penalties on visas that expired before 1st March 2020 to leave the country on or before 17th of August 2020,” the statement reads.

“Consequently, the Embassy is urging fellow Nigerians living in the UAE to avail themselves of this opportunity to return home with the impending Air Peace evacuation flight scheduled for 1st August 2020, and or subsequent Emirates evacuation flights before the expiration of the grace period,” it adds.

The announcement is suspected to be connected to the fraudulent activities perpetrated by a few Nigerians based in Dubai including alleged international internet fraudster Abass Ramon aka Hushpuppi who was arrested by the Dubai Police in June and is being prosecuted in the US.

Amongst other moves, the UAE authorities recently excluded Nigeria from a list of countries permitted to fly into the Emirates.