BREAKING: Five Chinese Nationals Arrested Without Valid Papers Released After Alleged Lobbying By Retired Immigration Chief

Five Chinese nationals arrested by the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) have been released, SaharaReporters has gathered.

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The five men were arrested on August 12, 2025, during a joint sting operation by immigration authorities and the Department of State Services (DSS) and subsequently held in a detention facility at the NIS headquarters, Sauka, along Airport Road, Abuja.

The five Chinese nationals initially facing deportation under Section 44 of the Immigration Act include: Zhang Damou (46) – Sales Manager, charged with quota trafficking (Section 38); Qian Jin (48) – Sales Manager on TWP, charged with visa misuse (Section 56); Tang Pan (41) – Interpreter on TWP, charged with visa misuse (Section 56); Lin Jianfeng (52) – Business Manager on TWP, charged with visa misuse (Section 56) and Guo Zhengheng (40) – Sales Manager on Business Visa, charged with visa misuse (Section 56).

Their release follows alleged lobbying by a retired senior immigration officer, sources told SaharaReporters on Thursday night.

“It was a retired DIG that used his influence to quietly secure the release of the five Chinese nationals arrested during the enforcement exercise,” one of the sources said.

“The development has sparked outrage among observers who warn that insider protection is emboldening expatriate companies to flout Nigerian laws with impunity.”

The source added, “The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has uncovered massive irregularities at Nigeria Royal Castle Ceramic Company Limited, located in Sagamu, Ogun State, exposing the company as a hub of immigration, labour, and corporate law violations. Established in 2022 with only a Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) registration, the company has operated outside Nigeria’s regulatory framework from inception.

“Our (NIS) findings revealed that Royal Castle Ceramics never applied for or obtained a Business Permit or Establishment Quota, requirements under Section 36 and Section 38 of the Immigration Act 2015 for any expatriate company operating in Nigeria.

“Instead, the company relied on expatriates deployed from other firms without lawful transfer or quota slot approvals, a practice categorized as quota trafficking.

“Some of its expatriates were recruited under inappropriate visa categories, including Business Visas and Temporary Work Permits (TWP), which do not permit permanent or managerial employment.

“Equally troubling is the company’s refusal to comply with statutory reporting obligations. Since its establishment, Royal Castle has failed to file the mandatory monthly returns to the Nigeria Immigration Service and has also defaulted on tax remittances.”

Reasons For The Arrest

Going into details on why the five Chinese nationals, all playing critical roles in the company, were arrested during the enforcement operation, the source said the offences highlight the depth of immigration abuses at Royal Castle Ceramics.

“Zhang Damou is a staff member of another company but is illegally working at Royal Castle as Sales Manager without quota approval. His case falls squarely under quota trafficking,” one of the sources said.

“Qian Jin entered Nigeria with a Temporary Work Permit (TWP) but was engaged in activities far beyond the scope of his permit.

“Lin Jianfeng entered on a Business Visa but took up full-time employment in violation of visa restrictions.

“Tang Pan entered with a TWP but was employed as Company Interpreter, a role not covered by his permit.

“Guo Zhengheng entered on a Business Visa but was found working contrary to visa conditions.

“Under Section 56 of the Immigration Act 2015, these violations constitute misuse of visas and permits. Authorities confirmed that the expatriates were to face prosecution, repatriation, and stop-listing to prevent future reentry into Nigeria.

“Beyond immigration offences, Royal Castle Ceramics was also found guilty of labour abuses. Nigerian workers at the Sagamu factory were allegedly subjected to unsafe conditions, denied protective equipment, and forced to work long hours under harsh circumstances. Wages reportedly fell below the national minimum wage, a breach of the Labour Act.”

Sources further accused the retired Deputy Comptroller General of working “behind the scenes” to secure the quiet release of the five arrested expatriates.

“Sadly, such interference emboldens illegal operators and demoralises officers who risk their safety to enforce the law,” one of the sources said.

“I insist that this is no longer just a case of illegal workers but is a test of whether Nigeria will uphold the rule of law against both foreign interests and local insiders abusing the system.”

SaharaReporters earlier reported that the Chinese workers were accused of working with a Temporary Work Permit (TWP).

However, the workers insisted they possessed Permanent Residence Permits, while one of them had only just arrived in Nigeria a week before his arrest.

The workers also pointed to the fact that the NIS had announced an amnesty window on July 28, 2025, allowing overstayers and undocumented workers to regularise their immigration status.

However, they claimed that despite this policy, the detained Chinese workers continue to face threats of deportation and the forced closure of their factory, even before any investigation or legal proceedings have been concluded.

When contacted, the Immigration spokesman Akinsola Akinlabi had said: “All those allegations, I can tell you, are false. If you see us arresting any foreigners, you should know they have done something wrong.

“It is in our mission to ensure more foreign investment in the country.”

Also, a senior NIS official, who said he was familiar with the matter, insisted that security operatives lawfully arrested the five Chinese nationals for working in Nigeria without valid immigration documents.

“The truth about the issue is that these people are criminals, and that was why Immigration officials arrested them. There is nothing like targeting or that someone is behind it,” the top Immigration source had said.

“These people are in Nigeria without any valid documents. They are carrying out businesses without any permits.”

The source continued: “On the amnesty, many people did not understand how it works. The amnesty is for foreigners already in Nigeria but could not revalidate their papers because of one issue or another.

“It is not for illegal immigrants like these suspects. And NIS asked those who want amnesty to apply through our website, but do you know that none of them applied?

“What this signifies is that they don’t care, and they thought they could work in Nigeria without any valid documentation. When there is no documentation, they can carry out illegal acts and crimes without any traces.”