The Bureau of Immigration (BI) said it has taken into custody a Nigerian national who was arrested and detained more than two years ago for involvement engaging in credit card fraud and cyber-crime activities.
In a report to Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente, the BI’s Fugitive Search Unit (FSU) identified the Nigerian as 26-year-old Emmanuel Obi Nwadkure, who was apprehended last Wednesday, at the Hall of Justice building in Muntinlupa City.
The arresting FSU operatives were armed with a mission order from Morente which they served to the Nigerian while attending the hearing of his case at the Muntinlupa City regional trial court.
BI-FSU Acting Chief Rendel Ryan Sy said the BI had to take custody of the Nigerian to ensure that he does not hide nor evade prosecution while the criminal case against is being heard by the court.
Sy disclosed that the alien was earlier allowed to post bail by the court, thus he was released from the custody of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP).
He explained that under existing rules, foreigners with pending criminal cases who are released on bail are supposed to be transferred to the BI as subjects of deportation proceedings.
BI detains Nigerian nabbed for cyber fraud
It was learned, however, that Nwadkure remains on the immigration hold departure list as the hold departure order issued against him by the court has not been lifted.
Records show that the Nigerian, who is an overstaying alien, was arrested on September 8, 2020 by agents of the anti-cyber crime unit of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) for violating Republic Act 8484 or the Access Devices Regulation Act of 1998. He is now detained at the BI Warden Facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City.
Meanwhile, the Department of Tourism said the Philippines hopes to welcome all foreign visitors next month.
According to Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, the country has received 73,178 tourist arrivals since reopening to 157 visa-free countries last month.
“We’re hoping that by April we’ll be open to all foreigners. The reason why we started with visa-free countries, this was also the recommendation of the Department of Foreign Affairs. Paunti-unti muna (Little by little),” she told ANC’s Headstart.
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