The Seychelles government has provided clarification regarding its decision to impose a ban on Nigerian passport holders seeking to visit the country for tourism purposes. Previously, Nigeria enjoyed a visa-free arrangement with Seychelles, allowing its citizens to enter the country without a visa for up to 30 days. However, recent incidents of dr*g trafficking and fraudulent activities involving Nigerian individuals have prompted the Seychellois authorities to take action.
According to Seychelles News Agency, Vice-President Ahmed Afif stated that the ban was implemented due to a rise in criminal activities related to dr*g trafficking and fraudulent schemes, primarily involving individuals from Nigeria. The government has observed a concerning trend over the past year, with a particular increase in recent months, posing risks to border control and the economy.
Vice-President Afif highlighted the clear link between criminal activities and individuals from Nigeria, citing recent arrests at the Seychelles border. In the past two weeks alone, 13 people arriving from Nigeria were apprehended for attempting to bring dr*gs into the country.
Additionally, Vice-President Afif drew attention to cases in which Nigerians were involved in using counterfeit credit cards at various tourist establishments. He explained that 62 Nigerians claimed to be on holiday but used false credit cards, causing financial losses for the establishments. The establishments suffered as the money charged to the cards never reached their accounts. Unfortunately, the perpetrators enjoyed free holidays in the country at the expense of the establishment owners, leaving little recourse for the affected businesses.
