Nigerian Nationals Headed from Bangladesh to Guwahati Nabbed Near Tripura Border

Agartala, March 16, 2020:

In a joint operation on Sunday Tripura and Assam police jointly arrested two Nigerian nationals at Churabari along Tripura's border with Assam. The apprehendees have been identified as Chinedu (30) and Kanu Kingsley (28) and they are traders.

Police sources said that both of them were on their way to Guwahati. The arrested persons have been learnt to have informed the police that they arrived here to sell some self-made products.

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No visas or proper immigration related documents could be recovered from the duo. According to sources in the police, the Nigerian nationals come to Bangladesh in large numbers to play football and get hired by some local football clubs of the Northeast. In their attempts to make some extra money, they often enter India "illegally" without possessing proper documents.

Some of the local travel agents, police said, have involvement in this nexus and help them to access various travel opportunities from one end of the country to the other. The entire nexus runs in lieu of huge monetary exchange, sources in the police further informed us.

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The apprehension of the Nigerians raised alarm in Assam, especially in view of the outbreak of the deadly novel coronavirus that has killed as many as 6,518 people.

Tripura, meanwhile, has closed down the borders with neighboring Bangladesh fearing an outbreak of the disease.  Support Inside Northeast (InsideNE), an independent media platform that focuses on Citizen-centric stories from Northeast India that are surprising, inspiring, cinematic and emotionally relevant.