Six Nigerian nationals and one individual from Senegal are facing deportation from Thailand after they were arrested by the country’s immigration police for allegedly overstaying their visas and violating immigration laws.

The Nigerians were identified as  Akachukwu Anikpe, Chineze Emmanuel Onyechere, Mazi Ejiofor Edochie, Emeka Frank Uzoije, Emmanuel Kelechi Ewulu and Ikechkuwu Prince Umunna, while Senegalese was named as Christian Tounkara.

According to Thailand News, the suspects were arrested during a targeted immigration raid in Bangkok’s Khlong Sam Wa district on July 14 before the men were transported to the Min Buri Police Station to face formal legal proceedings. 

During interrogation, authorities reportedly discovered that four of the suspects had remained in Thailand well beyond their legally permitted days, with overstays ranging from 782 to 1,052 days, including Mr Tounkara, who had been out of status for 913 days. 

Additionally, Messrs Anikpe, 28, Onyechere, 45, and Edochie, 45, were reported to have overstayed their visas by 856, 1,052, and 782 days, respectively. Thailand News reported that the four of them have been charged for overstaying their visas.

Meanwhile, the remaining suspects Messrs Uzoije, 42, Ewulu, 32, Umunna, 47, were allegedly found with no identification documents or official records granting them entry into the Southeast Asian country.

They were subsequently charged with entering and residing in Thailand without proper authorisation.

It was reported that Tourist Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Saksira Pheuk-um noted that the operation which led to the arrest of the suspects was ordered by the National Police Chief Police General Kittirat Phanphet as part of nationwide crackdown on illegal immigrants. 

It was not the first that a Nigerian was arrested for violating the Thai immigration laws. The Peoples Gazette reported in May that Ubasinachi Ekechukwu was arrested by police after artificial intelligence facial recognition detected him for visa overstay.