Nigerian man, Johnbosco, travels to Thailand on 60-day tourist visa, spends seven years

Thailand’s Immigration Police have arrested a 40-year-old Nigerian man for allegedly overstaying his visa by 2,683 days, Siam Rath newspaper reports.

The suspect, identified as Onyebuchi Johnbosco Ezedinugwu, had entered Thailand in April 2014 on a 60-day tourist visa with permission to stay until June 25th of the same year.

Ezedinugwu was arrested by immigration officers led by region one commander, Pol Maj-Gen Piti Nitinonthaset, at Soi Phetchaburi 35 in the Makkasan area of Bangkok on Tuesday, January 19, 2021.

According to the newspaper, illegal immigration is considered as a major factor of the second wave of COVID-19 after an outbreak at Samut Sakhon seafood Market, affecting a large migrant population.

Region 1 Deputy, Lt-Col Suriya Phuangsombat, said that the immigration were targeting Africans to check on their visa status as part of measures associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.