The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the release of six Nigerian tourists detained by immigration authorities in Cape Verde. The tourists, who were traveling with Ìrìn Travels, were detained upon arrival and accused of not having sufficient funds.
Foreign Affairs Ministry Spokesperson, Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa disclosed this to SpyeTV News in Abuja on Thursday in a short message.
Ebienfa said, "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to happily inform that the Nigerian nationals (ladies) that were detained in Cape Verde have all been released and they have left the country too.
"The Ministry engaged Cape Verde authorities via our Mission in Guinea Bissau to secure their release. The ladies travelled to Cape Verde for holiday and were unfortunately detained for allegations of trafficking which turned out to be false."
SpyeTV News reports that, Tlthe tourists have been freed and are currently in the care of the Nigerian Embassy in Senegal. They have passed through the Dakar border and are awaiting their return to Nigeria.
The group, which travelled from Senegal to Cape Verde for vacation, was stopped on arrival and accused of not having sufficient funds, before they had their mobile phones were confiscated.
“The attention of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission has been drawn to a case of 6 Nigerian tourists who travelled from Senegal to Cape Verde Island on a vacation.
“On arrival at Cape Verde, they were pulled out of the line. They were accused of not having enough funds, and their phones were confiscated. They were subsequently locked up in an immigration deportation camp at the airport,".
The tourists, identified as David James Udoh, Lily Dada, Oghenero Adaware, Sherifat Abimbola Ogundairo, and Jesutomi Aina, were reported to have subsequently been locked up in an immigration deportation camp at the airport.
Reports indicated that the group experienced distress, with one member reportedly suffering from a poor medical condition and being denied access to necessary medication.
The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) had escalated concerns over their treatment, citing distress and a medical condition affecting one of the tourists.
The tourists were detained at an immigration deportation camp at the airport in Cape Verde.
NIDCOM had appealed to Cape Verdean authorities to treat the tourists with respect and dignity, and to expedite their return to Nigeria