By Danjuma Amodu
The Federal Government has stepped up consular efforts for Nigerians detained in India, with the Nigeria High Commission visiting 198 inmates across five prisons in Maharashtra as it negotiates a fresh six-month amnesty for those held over immigration-related offences.
The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, NiDCOM, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, saying the prison visits were conducted as of September 1, 2026, even as Nigerians remain incarcerated in other Indian provinces.
According to NiDCOM’s Director of Media, Public Relations and Protocols, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, the visits are part of the mission’s ongoing intervention in cases involving hundreds of Nigerians in Indian prisons, amid concerns over prolonged detention, immigration violations and delays in prosecution.
Chairman/CEO of NiDCOM, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, with Türkiye Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz at the opening of the 1st Muslim Diaspora Forum held in Ankara, Türkiye.
The commission said the Nigeria High Commission previously secured an amnesty programme between September last year and May this year that led to the release and repatriation of thousands of Nigerians detained mainly for immigration offences.
However, it noted that some Nigerians failed to take advantage of the window before it expired.
NiDCOM disclosed that Nigeria’s High Commissioner to India, Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu, is engaging Indian authorities to secure another six-month amnesty for Nigerians detained in camps who have no pending trials but remain in custody over immigration-related offences.
The development followed public concerns over the detention of a Nigerian identified as Mr Ekene in India. NiDCOM assured that the High Commission would examine his case to determine eligibility for early release and repatriation.
It said where Ekene qualifies to leave India, arrangements could be made for his return, provided his family is able to raise the necessary funds, and that established legal and administrative procedures would have to be followed.
Chairman/CEO of NiDCOM, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, in a bilateral meeting with Fuad Muradov, Chairman of the State Committee on Diaspora Affairs of Azerbaijan.
“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,” the statement said.
NiDCOM, however, clarified that the proposed amnesty would not cover Nigerians awaiting trial for criminal offences, including drug-related crimes.
The Chairman/CEO of NiDCOM, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, urged Nigerians living in India without valid immigration status to take advantage of the next amnesty programme once implemented, warning that those who remain illegally risk arrest.
“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 advised.
The commission also appealed to Nigerians abroad to respect the laws of their host countries and avoid conduct that could lead to arrest, prosecution or prolonged detention.
The latest intervention underscores the continuing challenge of irregular migration involving Nigerians in India, where immigration violations have contributed to the detention of nationals without valid documentation, while separate criminal cases remain subject to the Indian judicial process.
NiDCOM said the Federal Government would continue to engage the Indian authorities on the welfare of detained Nigerians, the acceleration of pending cases and the repatriation of those legally cleared to return home.
