Some Nigerians residing in India have raised concerns over what they describe as racial profiling, harassment, and abusive treatment by Indian police, highlighting difficulties with visa renewals and high fees that they say make life challenging in the country.
Speaking to Saturday PUNCH, residents alleged that some Nigerian students faced physical assaults, and reporting these incidents to authorities had yielded no results.
The complaints coincide with actions by the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), which recently staged a peaceful protest at the Indian High Commission in Abuja. The group cited “alarming reports” of mistreatment of Nigerian students in India and issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Federal Government for diplomatic intervention, warning that advocacy efforts nationwide would escalate if the issues were not addressed.
NANS Vice President (Special Duties), Abubakar Mallawa, told journalists that multiple distress reports had been received from students in Indian cities, particularly Mumbai. He said Nigerians involved in legitimate businesses also faced difficulties, including visa renewal problems, mass arrests over immigration status, denial of housing due to nationality, closure of Nigerian-owned shops, confiscation of goods, and forceful entry into residences.
In a separate interview with Arise TV, NANS National Secretary, Anzaku Shedrack, said disturbing videos showing the brutalisation of Nigerians in various parts of India were being received by the association. A clip aired on the station showed a person, believed to be Nigerian, attacked and stoned by a group.
Abisola Williams, Education Coordinator of the Association of African Students in India, Rajasthan chapter, confirmed that Nigerian students were seriously affected by visa regularisation challenges. She explained that India does not offer permanent residency to international students, forcing them to renew visas annually, unlike students from other African countries.
Another Nigerian student in Delhi, speaking anonymously, said Nigerians were required to pay 10,000 rupees (about N146,000) every three months for visa renewals, while students from other African countries pay significantly less. She claimed that police actively track Nigerians with expired visas, leading to intimidation, arrests, and deportation.
Analysts noted that the Nigerian community, estimated at around 50,000 residents in India, has been under heightened scrutiny due to arrests linked to alleged drug trafficking. Between 2019 and 2024, 2,356 Nigerians were reportedly deported from India, with removals increasing sharply from 339 in 2021 to 1,470 in 2023–2024.
A Nigerian diplomat in India, speaking anonymously, said some Nigerians are used as informants by the police, with monetary inducements creating tensions within the community. The envoy advised compliance with local laws and urged reciprocity for Indian students in Nigeria regarding visa terms.
The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) said the Federal Government could not interfere in India’s immigration policies, noting that only reciprocal measures could be pursued.
Former Nigerian envoys have called for urgent diplomatic intervention. Retired diplomat Sola Abolurin urged the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to engage the Nigerian ambassador in India and liaise with Indian authorities to investigate the alleged attacks and protect Nigerians. Dr Yemi Farounbi, former ambassador to the Philippines, emphasised that Nigerians abroad must obey local laws, while authorities should ensure the majority of law-abiding citizens are not unfairly targeted due to the actions of a few.
Both ex-envoys stressed that racism and economic rivalry could be underlying factors in the treatment of Nigerians in India and recommended coordinated diplomatic engagement to resolve the crisis.
