Nigerian students detained for abusing passes

The tactics of a group of Nigerian men who had abused their student passes to carry out religious activities were uncovered when the Immigration Department detained seven Nigerian men, including a priest, at Taman Connaught, Cheras, here Sunday. During the surprise check carried out by 17 officers and men from the department at 12.30pm, the seven men, aged between 27 and 38, were detained together with 30 others, including two locals, who had attended a talk by the priest. Assistant Director of the Enforcement Division of the Federal Territory Branch of the Immigration Department, James Musa Singa, said the activity by the Nigerian priest had violated the law as foreign nationals were absolutely not allowed to carry out religious activities without permission from the Home Ministry. He told a press conference at the Kuala Lumpur Home Ministry headquarters, here that the seven Nigerian nationals were being detained to assist investigation and if found guilty, their student passes would be revoked and they would be repatriated home. He said the seven students who were studying at a private college in the federal capital were believed to have been carrying out religious activities since 2011.