Report: 53 Nigerians Held in Malaysia Over Immigration Violations

A recent report from the Malaysian newspaper, Utusan Malaysia, reveals that 53 Nigerian citizens were among 112 undocumented African nationals apprehended by Malaysian immigration authorities. These arrests occurred during a series of nationwide enforcement operations conducted between January and October 31 of the current year. Nigerians constituted the largest group of detainees among the African nationals, with Uganda following with 13 arrests, Kenya with 10, and Ghana with eight.

Datuk Zakaria Shaaban, the Director-General of Malaysia’s Immigration Department, confirmed these figures in an interview with Utusan Malaysia, which was published on Friday. He indicated that the arrests were a result of enforcement activities carried out across the country.

The detailed breakdown of nationalities arrested shows that after Nigeria's 53 individuals, Uganda accounted for 13, Kenya 10, and Ghana 8. Other nationalities included Somalia (6), Tanzania (6), Senegal (4), Algeria (3), Burkina Faso (2), Togo (2), and The Gambia (2). Additionally, one individual each from Guinea, Zimbabwe, and Libya was detained.

Shaaban stated that the most frequent offense recorded was entering or remaining in Malaysia without a valid pass or permit, a violation under Section 6(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63. This particular offense led to 85 arrests, with 47 of those involving Nigerian nationals. He explicitly noted, “The primary offense recorded is entering and remaining in the country without a valid pass or permit, under Section 6(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63; this resulted in 85 arrests, 47 of which involved Nigerian nationals.”

The immigration chief further added that 23 individuals were taken into custody for overstaying their allowed period, an infraction under Section 15(1)(c) of the same Act. Three others faced arrest for breaching the conditions of their immigration passes, as stipulated by Regulation 39(b) of the Immigration Regulations 1963. Moreover, one Nigerian was apprehended on allegations of possessing forged documents, which falls under Section 56(1)(l) of the Immigration Act.

In addition to the foreign nationals, authorities also arrested an Algerian employer under Section 55B of the Act for allegedly employing foreign workers who lacked valid passes. Shaaban emphasized that these ongoing enforcement operations underscore the authorities' firm resolve to combat undocumented migration and to take decisive action against any employers found harboring or employing foreign nationals without proper immigration documentation. He affirmed, “These ongoing enforcement operations reflect the authorities’ steadfast commitment to curbing the presence of undocumented migrants and taking firm action against any employers who harbor or employ them.”

The report did not disclose the identities of the arrested Nigerians nor specify the exact locations where these apprehensions took place.

These recent arrests follow a separate incident reported by PUNCH Online, where three Nigerian men were detained in Delhi, India, for allegedly residing in the country without valid immigration documents. Those individuals were arrested during an immigration verification exercise in southwest Delhi on October 31 and subsequently transferred to a detention center.