The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has arrested and repatriated Zimbabwean Bishop Eben K. Nhiwatawi in Yola, Adamawa State, for breaching immigration protocols.
According to a statement from DCI Kenneth T. Udo, the Service Public Relations Officer at NIS Headquarters in Abuja, Bishop Nhiwatawi was found to have misrepresented his purpose for entering Nigeria.
He arrived on August 21, 2024, using a Tourist Visa (F5A), which is intended solely for tourism.
However, the Bishop was discovered participating in the Methodist Church leadership election, a clear violation of the visa terms outlined in the Nigeria Visa Policy 2024.
The NIS stated, “On August 24, 2024, Mr. Eben K. Nhiwatawi was apprehended in Yola for violating immigration protocols.
His participation in church leadership activities was inconsistent with the purpose of his Tourist Visa.”
The statement emphasized that while the NIS supports lawful foreign investment and participation in business and social activities as drivers of economic growth, it will not tolerate violations of immigration laws.
The Comptroller General of NIS, with ministerial approval, has ordered Nhiwatawi’s immediate repatriation.
“The Service remains committed to safeguarding national security and will continue to monitor the activities of foreigners to ensure compliance with immigration laws,” the statement concluded.
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