‘Japa’: Fear grips Nigerians over UK plan to tighten rules on dependants

By Ogaga Ariemu

Fear has gripped some Nigerians as the United Kingdom plans considering tightening the rules on how many relatives migrants can bring into the country.

Nigerian migrants bring in the highest number of dependants when compared to other groups of migrants, NewsDirect, learnt.

Government sources said the Home Secretary, Suella Braverman was considering tightening the rules on dependants after Home Office immigration figures showed a “surprising inconsistency” across different nationalities coming to the UK to work and study.

Based on the Home Office report, Nigerians accounted for 40% of all dependants who accompanied foreign students in the 12 months to June – despite Nigerian students making up just 7% of all foreign students in that period.

Some 34,000 Nigerians were given study visas in the UK, bringing with them a total of 31,898 dependants. A similar ratio was recorded for work visas, with 8,972 Nigerians issued with one in the 12 months to June bringing with them 8,576 dependants.

By comparison, 114,837 Chinese students who came to the UK last year brought with them a total of 401 dependants – while 93,049 Indian students came to Britain with 24,916 dependants, the figures show.

Emeka Ogenyi, a lawyer in Nigeria described as worrisome.

However, he started that he plans traveling

He stated that the plan is to escape the hardship in Nigerian.

Another respondent, Eloma Mark, an engineer said he if UK tightens it ‘rules on dependant’, it may not favour him and his family.

According to him, be planning to travel to the UK for schooling next year but he is currently having three dependants.