NCAA Raises Alarm Over Fake Schengen Visas as Travellers Disappear During Morocco Stopovers
Nigerian aviation authorities have warned of a sharp rise in expertly forged Schengen visa stamps, with some passengers also exploiting long layovers in Casablanca to disappear and attempt illegal entry into Europe.
Michael Achimugu, director of public affairs and consumer protection at the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, said the counterfeit stamps have become so convincing that inexperienced airline and immigration officers often fail to detect them before departure.
“I found out yesterday about a sharp increase in the volume of fake Schengen visa stamps now being used by passengers to travel to Europe,” Achimugu said. “A lot of them are discovered at transit airports, and others on arrival in Europe.”
He said some travellers deliberately book long layovers in Casablanca to qualify for hotel accommodation, then vanish once they leave the airport.
“Once they enter the city, they disappear and try to find an illegal way into Europe,” he said.
The practice is one reason Morocco has tightened entry restrictions on Nigerian transit passengers who do not hold visas, even when they would otherwise be entitled to hotel stays.
Nigeria is now engaging Moroccan authorities diplomatically to ease restrictions for legitimate travellers. Achimugu said officials have pointed to Ethiopia as a model, where Nigerians transiting through Addis Ababa on Ethiopian Airlines can access hotel accommodation without a visa. The airline provides controlled transport to and from the airport, reducing the risk of passengers absconding.
“My question was, ‘How many such passengers ever absconded?’ It is not all Nigerians that want to run away,” he said. “We have way too many hardworking, legitimate people to be treated differently because of a few ‘bad eggs’.”
Moroccan representatives countered that their country’s proximity to Europe makes it a more attractive route for irregular migration than Ethiopia. The NCAA responded by asking Morocco to review the data on Nigerians who have absconded while in transit, arguing that if the numbers are negligible, the restrictions should be reconsidered.
Achimugu said the discussions have opened the door for further engagement, with Royal Air Maroc’s country manager confirming the airline has already made representations to Moroccan authorities on behalf of Nigerian travellers.
As an interim measure, the NCAA has proposed that additional airport hotel rooms be made available or lounge access granted to Nigerians with long layovers who are not permitted to enter Morocco. The airport hotel currently has about 70 rooms.
Achimugu stressed that while the government continues to pursue diplomatic solutions, travellers also have a responsibility not to take actions that make international travel harder for other Nigerians.
The dispute highlights the continuing tension between facilitating legitimate travel and preventing abuse of transit arrangements by a minority of passengers.