Right: Samuel Onyekachi Ibeawuchi (Source: The Guardian)
After denying a visa to a man who owns one of the leading security companies in the West African nation so he could take a vacation to visit his family, the Home Office has been accused of a “racist crackdown on Nigerians.”
According to The Guardian, high-profile individuals in Nigeria and outside are closely protected by BKay Security Ltd, which is led by Samuel Onyekachi Ibeawuchi. In order to spend three weeks in the summer with his sister, Hope Ibeawuchi-Beales, and her husband, Nick Beales, who is head of campaigning at Ramfel, which assists vulnerable migrants, he and his wife, a prosperous businesswoman, had applied to travel to the UK with their 18-month-old child.
The application for a visit visa was denied by a Home Office official, even though Ibeawuchi-Beales and Beales promised to support the family throughout their journey. “This sponsorship does not satisfy me of your own intention to leave the UK on completion of your visit,” reads the letter of denial.
Future visits are also probably going to be turned down, it continues. Officials also asked Ibeawuchi, who gave his business registration certificate to the Home Office, how he makes money from his self-employment business.
Former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, prominent politicians from the US and the UK, celebrities, and international football players like Alex Iwobi—a former player for Arsenal and Everton who now plays for Fulham and Nigeria—have all used BKay Security’s services.
Last month, it was reported that the administration might crack down on visa applications from Nigeria and other nations. “It is undeniable that the UK government denied these visa applications as part of their blatantly racist crackdown on Nigerians,” Beales stated.
“After seeing my family, Samuel and his wife, who both own prosperous businesses in Nigeria, have no intention of staying here. I’m confident that their visas would have been approved if we had applied for them a year earlier. However, the fact that the Labour party is much more antagonistic towards families like ours than their Conservative predecessors speaks volumes.”
Ibeawuchi expressed his disappointment at the Home Office’s decision to prevent him and his family from visiting the UK. “I regret that the Home Office turned us away. We sent in all the required paperwork and pictures of the two families together since I genuinely wanted to take my family to the UK.
“We only want to come here to spend three weeks with our family; we don’t want to stay in the UK.”
“When their little cousin, aunt, and uncle came to visit, our two children were ecstatic and had already planned everything they wanted to show them in London,” Ibeawuchi-Beales stated. How do we explain to children that since the UK government has chosen to target Nigerians like their mother, they would not let their family to visit them?
“I’ve sponsored a few family members in the past, and they’ve all come and gone without any issues. After his family vacation, my brother would definitely not stay here. I don’t think the individual who rejected the applications even looked at the invitation letter we sent to the Home Office.
“Each application is evaluated on its individual merits, based strictly on the evidence provided and in accordance with detailed guidance for decision-makers,” a Home Office spokeswoman stated. The reasons for rejection of an application are made explicit.
Those whose visit visas have been denied can reapply by addressing the issues raised in the rejection notification, according to Home Office sources. One of the reasons taken into account before denying the Ibeawuchi family’s visa was their financial situation.
