Obed Monago, a former leader of the Nigerians in Diaspora Organization Americas (NIDOA), has criticised the way the United Arab Emirates treats Nigerians (UAE).
The nation recently ceased issuing visas to citizens of Nigeria. Without providing applicants with a reimbursement of their visa fees, all submitted applications were denied.
Monago attributed their activities on the Nigerian government and unauthorised residents in the UAE.
“It is appalling that the citizens of the giant of Africa are treated and toyed with in this manner and the blame goes to successive Nigerian governments”, he told NAN.
“Also Nigerians, who have refused or did not realise that UAE is a sovereign country with its own rules and regulations, should also be blamed.”
“I find troubling the nullification of visa applications and the keeping of the visa fees by the UAE government. The UAE should fully refund the application fees.
“If they refund the fees that would show that the actions they are taking are in good faith and if they hold on to the fees, it would amount to extortion,“ he said.
Nigerians attempting to enter the UAE are currently subject to a visa prohibition, and all applications that were submitted were denied without providing petitioners with a refund of their visa application expenses.
