Emmanuel Walter: young Nigerians ask for help in Cambodia for the ordeal of a job scam

…The stranded indigenous people of Bayelsa risk forced exit, with no money to return home

Daud Olatunji

A young Nigerian, Emmanuel Walter, from Bayelsa State, has become one of the most visible faces of suffering among Africans stranded in Cambodia following a government directive ordering all affected foreign nationals to leave the country by June 15, 2026.

Walter, who is currently stranded in deteriorating conditions in the Southeast Asian nation, is seeking urgent assistance to return home after what he and others describe as a failed overseas work deal that left him stranded without financial support or safety net.

His case comes as Cambodia’s General Department of Immigration, under the Ministry of Interior, issued a circular requiring all African citizens, including citizens of Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Cameroon and Uganda, to leave the country before the deadline.

The directive, signed by Director General Lieutenant General Som Sopheak and approved by General Sar Sokha, marks the end of an exemption previously granted to foreign nationals who had regularized their stay or cleared immigration fines.

According to the circular, all affected foreigners must leave Cambodia by June 15, with no extension expected from the authorities.

Walter’s ordeal

For Emmanuel Walter, politics has aggravated an already desperate situation.

Sources close to his condition say the Bayelsa native traveled to Cambodia after being promised a legitimate job opportunity that would improve his economic situation. However, upon his arrival, he would discover discrepancies in the nature of the work on offer, leaving him trapped in a difficult and uncertain environment.

He is now unable to finance his return trip, with the airfare estimated to cost over $1,000 (about ₦1.5 million), a sum he cannot afford given the current circumstances.

Walter is reportedly willing to return to Nigeria immediately, but says he has no access to financial assistance, employer support and limited means of survival as the immigration deadline approaches.

Panic is growing among Africans

Walter’s situation mirrors that of thousands of African migrants facing uncertainty in Cambodia following the government’s renewed enforcement of immigration rules.

Cambodian authorities have stepped up their crackdown on illegal foreign labor and suspected cyber-related operations in recent years, leading to periodic mass exit orders targeting undocumented or irregular migrants.

Human rights observers note that while the measures aim to curb illegal activities, many vulnerable migrants – often lured by misleading job offers – end up without resources to return home.

It requires urgent intervention from Nigeria

Walter’s family and concerned observers are now appealing to the Federal Government, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) to urgently intervene and facilitate his repatriation before the June 15 deadline.

They warn that without immediate diplomatic action, he and other Nigerians could face detention, forced deportation or prolonged difficulties in Cambodia’s immigration system.

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