More than 200 Nigerians detained at a deportation facility in India have appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Federal Government for help, alleging poor food, inadequate medical care, and prolonged delays in returning home. The appeal comes amid growing concerns about the conditions at Indian detention centres and the fate of Nigerian nationals awaiting deportation.
Detainee's Video Appeal
In a video circulating online, a man who identified himself as Browson Clever said he had been at the facility since June and claimed some Nigerians had spent more than two or three years there. “We have over 200 Nigerians in this place,” Clever said, appealing to Nigerians and the government to intervene. “We don't have proper medication, no proper food. We have gone through depression and all of that.”
Clever also alleged that the prolonged detention was affecting the mental health of detainees. He claimed that “people have gone mad” and that “some persons have died”, but provided no names, figures, dates, or details about the alleged deaths in the video.
Case of Ekene Chukwuma
The latest appeal comes days after the case of Ekene Chukwuma, a Nigerian detained at the Lampur detention camp in Delhi, attracted public attention. Chukwuma has alleged that delays in obtaining travel documents are keeping Nigerians at the facility even after they become eligible to leave under India's amnesty arrangement.
In a separate interview with Vanguard, he claimed more than 2,000 Nigerians were at the camp, although that figure has not been independently confirmed. He also alleged poor sanitation and healthcare and claimed that two people died at the camp last year. The conflicting figures underline the need for an official headcount.
Government Response and Diplomatic Efforts
NiDCOM has confirmed that hundreds of Nigerians are being held across Indian prisons and detention facilities. It said Nigerian officials had, as of September 1, visited 198 Nigerian inmates across five prisons in Maharashtra, while others were held in facilities in other Indian states.
The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, led by Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Abike Dabiri-Erewa, said India introduced an amnesty for undocumented Nigerian migrants in May 2025. The programme was initially for six months and was later extended by three months. NiDCOM said thousands of Nigerians returned during the amnesty, while some who did not regularise their status or leave were subsequently detained.
NiDCOM also said Chukwuma was arrested in December 2025 after overstaying his visa and had been issued an Emergency Travel Certificate to facilitate his return. Chukwuma disputed that account, saying he spent months in detention before receiving the document. The commission stated that the Nigerian High Commission in India is monitoring Chukwuma's case and those of other Nigerians awaiting deportation. It also said the mission had requested another six-month amnesty for Nigerians living or working illegally in India.
Ministerial Talks and Next Steps
The issue was raised at the highest diplomatic level on September 13, when Nigeria's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, held talks with India's Foreign Minister, Dr S. Jaishankar, in New Delhi. According to Nigeria's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Odumegwu-Ojukwu sought a further extension of the amnesty to allow affected Nigerians to return voluntarily without penalties.
The Indian authorities had not publicly responded to the latest allegations about conditions or the reported deaths by the time of submission. Ultimately, the stranded Nigerians are urging the Federal Government to intervene urgently to facilitate their safe return home.
