The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) has defended its handling of reports that more than 200 Nigerians are being held at the Lampur detention centre in New Delhi, India, stating that those detained had previously declined a government amnesty that allowed over 4,000 others to return home without penalties.
The commission's response came after Rufai Oseni, co-host of Arise TV, publicly accused NiDCOM and its chairperson, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, of failing to act on the case of a detainee identified as Ekene. Oseni said he had raised Ekene's case weeks earlier and, about a week before the commission's response, emailed NiDCOM with the man's contact details after Dabiri-Erewa directed him to use official channels.
Oseni Accuses NiDCOM of Inaction on Detainee Ekene
Despite an initial acknowledgement, Oseni said neither NiDCOM nor the Nigerian mission in India had followed up directly with Ekene. In a post on his X handle on Saturday, September 12, Oseni wrote: "I spoke to Ekene this evening and he confirmed no one reached out. I have sent Abike Dabiri and NIDCOM the details of Ekene… they haven't reached out to him! Nigerians, let's beg her to help this man!"
Oseni also said Ekene described conditions at the Sewa Sadan facility in New Delhi as "harrowing" and that more than 200 Nigerians remained stranded there.
NiDCOM Explains Amnesty Programme and Deportation Process
In an official email reply shared by Dabiri-Erewa on X on Sunday morning, September 13, 2026, NiDCOM said the Indian government had launched a targeted amnesty for undocumented Nigerian migrants beginning May 1, 2025. The programme ran for six months and was later extended by three months after Nigeria's High Commissioner negotiated with Indian authorities.
More than 4,000 Nigerians returned home during that window without facing legal or administrative penalties. Those who refused to leave during the amnesty were subsequently rounded up and placed in deportation camps. NiDCOM wrote: "Regrettably, Ekene and some others did not take advantage of this program or its subsequent extension while it was active and because he did not regularise his status or exit during the grace period, he was arrested and is currently being held in a deportation camp. Please note that he is not the only one awaiting deportation."
Furthermore, the commission noted that deportation decisions rest entirely with India and that the Nigerian High Commission was still pressing Indian authorities for a fresh amnesty extension. NiDCOM's legal team, it added, would continue to monitor the situation.
Oseni Rejects NiDCOM's Position and Public Opinion Splits
Oseni dismissed the email as a "glomar" reply issued only after public pressure forced the commission to respond. He argued that the focus must stay on securing Ekene's return, noting the detained man is separated from his wife and children in Nigeria.
The exchange has split opinion online. Some users criticised NiDCOM for what they called slow handling of individual cases, while others argued that migrants who turned down a formal amnesty must accept the legal consequences under the laws of the country hosting them.
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Dabiri-Erewa described the call by VeryDarkMan to rescue children allegedly trafficked to Ivory Coast as "misinformed and ignorant". Abike-Dabiri expressed optimism that the relevant agency would handle the matter "appropriately".
