Below is a letter written by one our Nigerian brothers in china.
please read.

My courage to write this stems from the recent protest of Africans in Guangzhou over the “accident” of two Nigerians who jumped from a second floor window.
Jumping from incredible heights is not new in china. Just a month ago, a Nigerian died when he jumped from his 9th floor apartment when the police came to check his papers.

I honestly don’t know what goes through their minds when they make such leaps. Do they imagine they are superman, or indestructible?
The reason we run from the police is not because we are scared of going back to Nigeria empty handed, no.

Our reasons are because when arrested, you’ll have to stay in jail till your people pay your fines and buy your one way ticket to Nigeria before you can be deported. We are told that is China’s law.

Our people run and some jump to their death because they can’t afford the 5000yuan fine and their air ticket. Some Nigerians have been in jail for as long as six months because their families couldn’t raise the required amount.

A friend of mine was arrested by police, along with some other Africans at a bus stop on June 30th and they are now in jail awaiting their families to pay the fines.
My friend doesn’t even have $500 to his name and owes a lot of people money both here and in Nigeria.

I’m ashamed of what has become of Nigerians in Guangzhou city. Everyday I see able bodied young men worrying about their fate and having little power over their situation here.
This isn’t the greener pasture most of us were made to believe that we’d find.
Many of us were promised jobs on arrival, some were told they’d get into Japan through China, others had business plans while coming and many others have various reasons for being in China.

China is a beautiful country, its citizens are eager to meet with foreigners and establish new prosperous business relationships.
I came to China with plans of teaching English in their middle schools. My contact, a Ghanaian, promised me that I’d get a well paid job once I could find my way to China.

I was promised a salary of 5000yuan ($720us) monthly, plus free accommodation in the school, so I made all the necessary arrangements and got here.
Unfortunately for me, Nigerians don’t get visa extensions like their other African counterparts.
Some agents told me I could get it for $3,000us but I didn’t have that kind of money and my visa expired and I joined the league of “Running men”, always looking over my shoulders, ever ready to run at a moments notice.
We sleep with one eye open, awakened by the slightest noise in the street and always peering cautiously through the window to make sure there are no police men or suspicious activities in the street.

We sometimes make fun of our situation but it’s not funny. There are over 5000 Nigerians in Guangzhou alone; some are frustrated but majority want to go home.
There are no jobs for us; most of us get our daily bread by trading in clothes and shoes. Some work as translators and guides for visiting businessmen from African and even Europeans.
Others work in restaurants that sell Nigerian/African meals while some even sell recharge cards.

The criminal minded are into drug trafficking and fraud. I must paint the true picture of our situation in China. Nigerians are not the only ones into such criminal activities, the Chinese and other nationalities are also involved.

There are few Nigerians who are doing very well. Their businesses are registered in China and they have legitimate papers. These are the elites among us.

As I write this, many in Nigeria are being deceived by dubious agents into coming to China.
I want to use this medium to dissuade them from making that trip.

We’re trapped in China and want to go home.
I just read on the internet that the Chinese embassy in Nigeria said their government will issue exit visas to Nigerians so that we can leave.
If that is true, I thank them but I must be frank and state here that very few if any Nigerian will show up as long as their government will still demand the 5,000yuan fine.
Most of us cannot afford it.

I implore the Nigerian government to plead with them on our behalf to waive the fine and just ask us to provide our tickets and go home. Even the tickets will be hard for some people to pay for but I don’t expect the Chinese government to change their policy just for us.
If they can do that, we’ll be very grateful.

I know that if you get a plane ready now and ask the Nigerians living here in Guangzhou to go, there’ll be a stampede.
I believe I’m speaking for majority of Nigerians here and we pray our government comes to our aid.
We want to return home.

I agree with you my brother.
Alot of Nigerians are truly stranded in China and i advise our youths who intend travelling to China with the intention of residing without adequate fund to have a rethink.
Moreover, securing China's residence permit or visa extension is like drilling for water in desert.

Chinese govt should take it easy on people. They are not the only country with illegal immigrants.

Why are people so dumb? Why on earth would you even think of going to a country with almost 1/4 of the total population of the whole world? Their government is even trying to reduce the citizens number by birth control laws and other things and they sometimes gets happy when natural disaster help them reduce the number. Too bad, Well I guess the reason their government put that 5000yuan fine is to stop these people from coming back after they must have been allowed to go in the first instance.

honeric01:

Why are people so dumb? Why on earth would you even think of going to a country with almost 1/4 of the total population of the whole world? Their government is even trying to reduce the citizens number by birth control laws and other things and they sometimes gets happy when natural disaster help them reduce the number. Too bad, Well I guess the reason their government put that 5000yuan fine is to stop these people from coming back after they must have been allowed to go in the first instance.

Well its simple. Every country in the world except somalia is better than Nigeria,

We are a failed state. Where Politicians dont care about common man.

Sam Milla:

Well its simple. Every country in the world except somalia is better than Nigeria,

isnt that a bit harsh?

you'll think some people will learn their lesson and try and find out about the place they're "escaping" to but nooo, they think anywhere is better than naija. its such a shame that most people just jet out of the country to some destination they have no background knowledge of their dream destination. serves them right hope they find a way out of their plight.

some jump to their death because they can’t afford the 5000 yuan fine and their air ticket.

Is it really a "jump", or is it the chinese police who push them?

sirbuddy:

I agree with you my brother.
Alot of Nigerians are truly stranded in China and i advise our youths who intend travelling to China with the intention of residing without adequate fund to have a rethink.
Moreover, securing China's residence permit or visa extension is like drilling for water in desert.

U still come ard here?good to see u are safe and alright.YIM asap
@Topic,even with all these stories,go to the travel and biz section,u wud still see ppl asking for the way/Visa to China.

Look at all these foolish boys crying in china!
Chinese people are trying to escape their country, packing themselves in containers like sardines to get to europe and america. . . .it's only a nigerian that you'll see jumping from fry pan into fire.

I wouldn't be suprised if there are nigerian illegal immigrants in somalia.

honeric01:

Why are people so dumb? Why on earth would you even think of going to a country with almost 1/4 of the total population of the whole world? Their government is even trying to reduce the citizens number by birth control laws and other things and they sometimes gets happy when natural disaster help them reduce the number. Too bad, Well I guess the reason their government put that 5000yuan fine is to stop these people from coming back after they must have been allowed to go in the first instance.

Nigerians no dey reason.

And they're fond of listening to the crime syndicate mouthpieces telling them anywhere is better than Nigeria.

Na today scammers dey our culture?

If they must go to China, why not visit or buy their goods and return home, instead of aiming to be illegal immigrants.

Why does anyone want to go China illegally ?

samparian:

isnt that a bit harsh?

Nwanne nigeria ia a failed state as it is.The only problem is we have refused bury it.

asha 80:

Nwanne nigeria ia a failed state as it is.The only problem is we have refused bury it.

please go and bury your village and everyone there?

tpia.:

please go and bury your village and everyone there?

roflmao

you really harsh o

Tudór:

I wouldn't be suprised if there are nigerian illegal immigrants in somalia.

even illegal nigerians in Dafur :
Nigerians loves illegal things pass the the legal thinking that illegality is equivalent to making more money!

If nigerians can be in a place like vietnam as illegals i wonder why it would be a suprise to hear of nigerians in china.

[b]There are people of a type that will venture to pastures new no matter the provocation. Nigeria like everywhere has its quota of these types. Such people are beyond advice; they are the ones that inherit the earth. To everyone else I would advice stay in Nigeria, put your head down and work hard. While at it, do not forget to use your imagination and you will more than at least likely to be able to place food on the table for you and your family. Unfortunately, and I am sure many on this board do not realise this yet, but the majority of Nigerians are overambitious. Contrary to the opinions and beliefs of many Nigeria critics bemoaning the lot of the "common man", the common Nigerian man’s problems go beyond needs. The common Nigerian man is troubled more by Wants than by Needs. He “needs” three square meals and electricity but deep inside he “wants” land, big house and car.  Nigeria is the sweetest place to live in if you have (M)oney and perhaps this account for it. Anyway, this materialism, which I suppose is what Wants amount to, is what drives our people to some of these God-forsaken places. They are not travelling to escape Nigeria hardship, to look for three-square meals, or electricity, they are travelling to try to make money so that they can return home and live better than the next man lives. I don’t begrudge this but let’s stop pretending that three-square-meals and electricity will satisfy our people. All the accusations of corruption, gnashing of teeth, call to arm, war and pleading for anarchy is simply because Nigerians want more than they should reasonably expect at this stage of  development. This too is good , even healthy, but only up to a certain extent ---as in all things [/b]

Let them whisper for help O! Key them not cry. When they were going to China, did they cry for help? Did they seek advise?

I hear that the South African government collects a refundable repatriation fee which will cover the cost of finding and deporting you before they even let you enter their country.

If you return within the time stipulated on your visa, you get your money back. Simple.

The Chinese in Nigeria, are they crying out for help? Why should the Nigerians in China crying for help.

Only Nigerian criminals go to China, they deserve everything they get. Let them stay there and rot 

Thor:

Only Nigerian criminals go to China, they deserve everything they get. Let them stay there and rot

Make nuzo and samparian hear you

Thor:

Only Nigerian criminals go to China, they deserve everything they get. Let them stay there and rot

Pls you need to chill out.