The Federal Government has stepped up diplomatic efforts to secure the release and repatriation of Nigerians detained in India, following visits by the Nigeria High Commission to 198 inmates across five prisons in Maharashtra.
The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), in a statement issued on Sunday by its Director of Media, Public Relations and Protocols, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, said the prison visits were conducted as of September 1, 2026, as part of ongoing consular interventions on behalf of Nigerians in detention across India.
NiDCOM said the visits focused on cases involving prolonged detention, immigration violations and delays in the prosecution of Nigerians facing criminal charges.
The commission disclosed that the Nigeria High Commission had previously secured an amnesty programme that ran from September 2025 to May 2026, resulting in the release and repatriation of thousands of Nigerians detained mainly for immigration offences and other irregularities.
However, some Nigerians either failed to take advantage of the programme before it expired or did not utilise the opportunity while it was available.
According to NiDCOM, Nigeria’s High Commissioner to India, Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu, is currently engaging Indian authorities over a fresh six-month amnesty for Nigerians detained in camps who have no pending criminal trials but remain in custody because of immigration-related offences.
The latest diplomatic intervention followed public concerns over the detention of a Nigerian identified as Mr Ekene in India. NiDCOM said the High Commission was reviewing his case to determine whether he qualified for early release and repatriation.
The commission explained that if Ekene is found eligible to leave India, arrangements could be made for his repatriation, subject to the relevant legal and administrative procedures and the ability of his family to meet associated costs.
“The Nigerian High Commission is on his case and that of others in similar circumstances and has also been putting pressure on the Indian government to speed up cases of those awaiting trials for various offences,” NiDCOM said.
The commission, however, stressed that the proposed amnesty would not apply to Nigerians awaiting trial for criminal offences, including drug-related crimes.
NiDCOM urged Nigerians residing in India without valid immigration status to take advantage of any new amnesty programme once implemented, warning that those who continue to stay in the country illegally risk arrest and detention.
NiDCOM Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, advised Nigerians in India to regularise their status or utilise the proposed amnesty when it becomes available.
“Nigerians in India, who are in India irregularly, should take advantage of the next set of amnesty being negotiated when effected, while others who are still staying there illegally should utilise the opportunity or risk being arrested,” she said.
The commission also appealed to Nigerians living abroad to obey the laws of their host countries and avoid actions that could result in arrest, prosecution or prolonged detention.
The development highlights the continuing challenge of irregular migration involving Nigerians in India, where immigration violations have led to the detention of nationals without valid documentation, while those facing criminal allegations remain subject to the Indian judicial process.
NiDCOM said the Federal Government would sustain diplomatic engagement with Indian authorities to safeguard the welfare of detained Nigerians, facilitate the speedy resolution of pending cases and support the repatriation of those legally cleared to return to Nigeria.
