PANJIM: While estimates on the number of Nigerians in the State vary from 400-600, astonishingly Foreigners’ Registration Branch (FRB) of Goa Police has only 19 Nigerians registered in the State.
It is a known fact that several Nigerians do not hold valid visa while many others are on tourist visa, which does not require registration with the FRB. Sources say that many are registered at the FRO in the other States but stay in Goa as residents. There have also been allegations that most of them misuse students’ visa.
Over a dozen of them are involved in drug-related offences, brawls, illegal stay and forged visa. Police admit in private these are mere excuses to continue their stay in the State, while the court conducts hearings into such cases.
With regards to the present incident, the FRB will seek their details from the police stations to verify whether they are registered with the office.
“If they are staying on forged visa an offence will be registered or they will be deported, depending on the directions of the government,” a senior officer told Herald.
