A team of Nigerian diplomats are set to visit Bahrain to assist their nationals facing concerns over residency matters and business deals that have gone awry.
According to reliable sources, a team from the Nigerian Embassy in Kuwait, led by Ambassador Jazuli Imam Galadanci, is set to arrive in the kingdom shortly, in response to reports of an influx of issues African expatriates have recently faced in Bahrain.
There have been a number of arrests too involving criminal matters such as the alleged mugging of a Bahraini taxi driver and incidents of groups of men appealing for help on the streets and at local churches.
The West African country does not have an embassy in Bahrain but its mission in Kuwait is responsible for Nigerians in the kingdom.
“The mission is aware of the consular situation as a result of the increased number of Nigerians entering Bahrain and the several arrests involving them,” said the source.
“As we understand it, the embassy (in Kuwait) has received a report on the events in Bahrain and is in contact with higher authorities in Bahrain, back home, the local Nigerian community, and the Nigerian interior ministry.
“A diplomatic mission is expected to visit Bahrain soon to gather more information and decide on the best course of action to take. There is a concerning situation in the country at present.”
Nigerian community and Christian leader in Bahrain Pastor Okézī Okpákà blames recent incidents on ‘human trafficking’ which he added was ‘putting people in difficult situations’.
“There is a lot of deception happening, often carried out by so-called ‘agents’ in Nigeria with a base here. Unfortunately, it appears that people are being exploited,” he told the GDN.
“These men and women are shelling out large sums of money based on the luring promises of well-paid jobs being available in Bahrain.
“We have written to embassy officials in Kuwait and the mission will be sending an advisory team.
“In my opinion we need to spread awareness amongst the people about the scammers exploiting the post-Covid labour market,” said the Works Ministry employee who has been residing in Bahrain for 12 years.
He also stressed that not all the Africans seen in Bahrain were Nigerians, adding that a 250-strong community prior to the pandemic has now doubled.
Last week, the GDN reported on incidents involving Africans, including an alleged attack on a Bahraini taxi driver and subsequent arrests. Police have also arrested several ‘Africans’ on charges of ‘violating residency rules’.
Representatives of the African community also expressed concern about the impact of such reports on the larger diaspora. They stated that the recent influx of people was primarily from the West of Africa such as Nigeria, Cameroon, Ghana, and South Sudan.
Ethiopian Demmelash Micheal claimed ‘unhealthy competition’ between Africans and Asians in the local labour market was also one of the causes of social unrest.
“They are illegal because they have been duped by agents at home and here – they have paid money to come here for a job,” he explained “They are cheated and they’re out on the streets looking for any job, willing to work for any pay as it’s a matter of survival for them.
“This is upsetting the Asian labour market with some claiming they are being priced out of the market. I believe that most of the recent issues pertaining to the African community have been exaggerated.”
He defended these men and women as “ordinary people” who came with hopes of finding work to feed their families back home but were now desperate and depressed.
A Kenyan community leader, who asked not to be named but has lived in Bahrain for nearly two decades, said the situation was unusually ‘disturbing’ and that it was ‘unfair’ to label people from all 54 African countries as ‘dangerous’.
“It is unfair to label us as a dangerous community based on a few isolated incidents,” he said. “You see Africans flocking together because they are new here and are scared – it is not to attack anyone as we read on social media. They’re walking around with bags because they don’t have anywhere to put them – it’s all tragically misconceived.”
l The UAE yesterday announced a visa ban on Nigerians, adding that all submitted applications are rejected and fees non-refundable.
The ban was announced in a notice issued by UAE immigration authorities to its trade partners in Nigeria including travel agencies, according to a report in Vanguard News, a Nigerian daily.
The Dubai authorities announced that all applications were halted until problems between the governments of the UAE and Nigeria were handled.
raji@gdnmedia.bh
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