I am not here to contribute to the discussion that Nigerians are being killed in North Cyprus. I never saw any of that in the years I spent there. Let’s say Nigerians there have a reputation thanks to some Nigerians and it isn’t pretty. Many people found
it hard to believe I was a Nigerian. I enjoyed my time there, even during the covid lockdowns, provisions were made available. My experience
in Northern Cyprus is for another day, maybe or not.
Inflation is
high all over the world. Turkiye has been named one of the top ten countries
with the highest inflation worldwide. No surprise that the inflation is also
high in North Cyprus. A lot of Turkish Cypriots from the news I have been
watching these past months are fleeing the country.
In North
Cyprus, the economy thrives on tourism; people come for the warm beautiful
beaches etc. and also for educational tourism. A lot of people not just from
Africa go to Cyprus both North and South to study.
Inflation is
really high. Things that were 20 Lira in August 2021 are now as high as 90 - 120 Lira, that is how bad the inflation is. The accommodation rates, feeding, etc.
everything has skyrocketed.
There are many
Nigerians schooling and living in Northern Cyprus. As is the law in any land,
Nigeria inclusive, you need a visa/permit to live in the country.
Recently,
given the current inflation, the price of registering for a Muhaceret which is
the name for the permit needed has gone up and every student or persons staying
in the country as a foreigner needs one.
The price for
that has hit an all time high of about 1,650 Lira which is about fifty thousand
naira or more, give or take the exchange rate.
The money
might seem little to some but coupled with your feeding, accommodation, etc.,
it is a lot to the students over there. Remember I said the Northern Cyprus
economy thrives on tourism; educational etc. So as a small country, what you
have are schools, hotels, real estate companies, boutiques and other fashion
outlets, loads of restaurants, cafes etc. There are really no high paying jobs.
Few students do find jobs and since you do not have a work visa, the pay won’t be
great.
There are also
students who have graduated and want to come home but the cost of flights from
the Ercan Airport in Lefkosa have near quadrupled. In Naira, the current prices
for flights are almost a million naira. Not for return flights but for a one-way
ticket. Many Nigerians are stranded there. How many people even in present day
Nigeria with our own small inflation can afford a million naira?
It was not this
high before. Last time I left, last year, I paid shy of three hundred thousand
naira from Ercan to the international airport in Lagos, Nigeria.
These
Nigerians want to leave but they cannot afford a million naira. They still have
to grapple with accommodation, feeding etc. Money comes in for most from
Nigeria. Nigeria is also facing inflation and our currency has fallen drastically
compared to the dollar. Which is now preferred in Cyprus compared to the Lira
thanks to the inflation in their country too.
Many cannot pay this muhaceret (permit).
The video
below is just from one night’s raid by the police in a part of Northern Cyprus
to catch Illegal immigrants in their country. It is the right thing for the
country’s government to do.
There are Nigerians amongst those boys. Now imagine many nights of these raids to capture illegal aliens and send them to prison?
A lot of times, the Nigerian government through a particular body makes press releases warning Nigerians not to go to North Cyprus that the Turkish Cypriots are killing Nigerians there. Lol!
Remember I said we have a reputation in North Cyprus?
There are Nigerian gangs, cultists, prostitution rings and loads of Yahoo Gboys
that spend thousands of dollars a night in the clubs of Northern Cyprus plus
Nigerian agents that lie to Nigerians to make money from their fellow Nigerians
promising them that the streets of North Cyprus are paved with high paying jobs
etc. etc. These Nigerian agents also make money from the schools; educational
tourism, remember? (I didn’t use agents; I did my research before going and got
what I wanted.)
There is also
the ordinary Nigerian’s deviant behavior to rules, things and other’s property etc.
etc. etc.
I am not here to correct the Nigerian government. My experience and the things I saw are mine.
Well, Frances Okeke thinks this is
the time for our government to actually act and help innocent Nigerians in
North Cyprus who want to leave but can’t because they do not have the means to.
They are trapped by money, a lack of it.
The country is
doing the right and legal thing by taking illegal aliens off their streets.
Frances has no
connections to anyone in power or who works in the Nigerian government. I am
hoping that by releasing this post, hopefully, it will get to the right person
or people and something will be done about it.
These young
men and women will rather come home than be in prison or in hiding because they
cannot afford the flight home or pay for their permits. They would also rather
school in Nigeria, if only…
Please help
save Nigerians in Northern Cyprus who are stranded or in prison because they
cannot afford to leave anymore.
Thank you for reading.
Great one. We need to get this spread on every social media platform. The people need to hear this and it will get through to the diaspora ministry. A drastic action needs to be taken. Thanks for letting us know
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