12 Nigerian Foreigners Overstay Arrested In Lampung, Some Have Married Indonesian Citizens

Immigration Class I TPI Bandarlampung press conference at his office in Lampung Province, Thursday (1/8/2024). (ANTARA/Dian Hadiyatna)

JAKARTA - The Regional Office (Kanwil) of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights (Kemenkumham) Lampung has arrested 12 foreign nationals (WNA) from Nigeria regarding immigration residence permits.

"On Friday (July 26) we managed to secure 12 foreigners from Nigeria, one of whom has married an Indonesian citizen (WNI)," said Head of the Lampung Ministry of Law and Human Rights Regional Office, Sorta Delima Lumban Tobing, while giving a statement at the Class I Immigration Office. TPI Bandarlampung, Thursday, August 1, confiscated by Antara.

He said the 12 foreigners were secured by the Immigration Division Team and Team from the Class III Non-TPI Immigration Office Kalida at a shophouse in Karya Tani Village, Labuhan Ratu District, East Lampung Regency.

"After examining the 12 Nigerian foreigners, nine of them violated Article 78 Paragraph 3 Juncto Article 122 letter a, have a residence permit whose validity period has expired. Meanwhile, the other three foreigners have valid residence permits," he said.

Then, Charta also revealed that they (WNA) Nigeria, entering the territory of Indonesia, did not use valid immigration documents.

"The person concerned came in and was in Indonesia without a valid visa travel document and still valid," he said.

He said that based on the examination of foreigners who were successfully secured, they were suspected of carrying out love scamming activities, which this case is still in the process of further investigation.

"Immigration officers secure evidence in the form of cellphones, laptops, and passports. It is suspected that they carried out love scamming activities whose reach areas are ASEAN countries," he said.

Head of the Immigration Division of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights Lampung, Juliadin Hidayawan's tattoo added that the 12 foreigners who were secured were entered with a residence permit for visits whose validity period was different.

"So these nine foreigners, reasoned to visit three of their relatives who already have official documents. And for one Nigerian foreigner who is married to an Indonesian citizen from Jakarta, they have a pond business in East Lampung," he said.

He also revealed that the 12 Nigerian foreigners were arrested because of reports from the public who were suspicious of their presence.

"We urge the public if anyone knows information or anything suspicious or the movements of foreigners that needs to be followed up immediately in coordination with the Ministry of Law and Human Rights. Because our job is to secure the Lampung province as committed by the immigration staff," he said.