Some Nigerians in India have raised the alarm over what they described as increased racial profiling and brutalisation by the Indian police.
They lamented visa regularisation challenges and high renewal fees, which they said had made life unbearable in the Asian country.
Some of the residents, who spoke to Saturday PUNCH, alleged that some Nigerian students were physically assaulted, adding that reporting to the authorities had changed nothing.
NANs outcry
The allegations are coming amid growing agitations by student bodies demanding urgent diplomatic intervention in the situation.
The National Association of Nigerian Students recently staged a peaceful protest at the Indian High Commission in Abuja over what it described as “alarming reports” of inhumane treatment of Nigerian students in India.
NANS issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Federal Government for urgent diplomatic engagement, warning that it would escalate advocacy actions nationwide if the issues were not addressed.
Speaking with journalists during the demonstration, the NANS Vice President (Special Duties), Abubakar Mallawa, decried the alleged ill-treatment of Nigerians, adding that the association had received multiple distress reports from students in Indian cities, particularly Mumbai, over visa challenges, discriminatory practices and systematic profiling.
He noted that the affected students and other Nigerians engaged in legitimate businesses had faced difficulties in renewing visas, mass arrests linked to immigration status, denial of rental accommodation based solely on nationality, closure of Nigerian-owned shops, confiscation of goods, and, in some cases, forceful entry into residences and detention under degrading conditions.
The group also raised concerns over the visa application process, alleging that Nigerian applicants were often required to pay interview and processing fees but denied visas without clear explanations.
In a recent interview on Arise TV, the National Secretary of NANS, Anzaku Shedrack, said the group had been receiving disturbing videos showing the brutalisation of Nigerians in several parts of India, and called on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to intervene.
A video clip played by the tv station showed some suspected Indians attacking and stoning an individual, said to be a Nigerian, on the floor.
In an interview with Saturday PUNCH, the Education Coordinator of the Association of African Students in India, Rajasthan chapter, Abisola Williams, said Nigerians were going through tough times in India.
Williams also admitted that Nigerian students were seriously affected by regularisation challenges.
The third-year physiotherapy student explained that India does not grant permanent residency to international students.
“It’s either you’re a student or a professional with a work visa. As for Nigerians, we have to renew our visas every year, as students or professionals,” she said.
Williams noted that Indian authorities reserved the right to deny visa extensions to students who failed to meet academic or financial obligations.
Another Nigerian student in Delhi, who spoke on condition of anonymity, alleged that Nigerians were required to pay 10,000 rupees (about N146,000) every three months to renew their visas, a fee she claimed is lower for students from other African countries.
“Other students from other African countries do not pay for it. We were told it was an agreement between the Indian and Nigerian governments for students to pay every three months. I know Zimbabweans who are not paying to renew visas, while Ghanaians pay a maximum of 500 rupees, which is about N8,000. This is just unfair. That’s the cross Nigerians bear to regularise their stay in India. They don’t give us enough time to raise the money. But for other nationals like Zimbabweans, they get about eight months before their next visa expires,” the student said.
She added that the fee was not disclosed during visa processing in Nigeria and that many students only became aware of it after arriving in India.
The student further alleged that Indian police actively track Nigerians, whose visas had expired, leading to arrests, intimidation and deportation.
“When my visa was about to expire, I went to renew it, but was surprised to learn it was 10,000 rupees. After that, the police came looking for me because I had not renewed my visa.
“I have seen male students who were bullied and harassed because of this. They don’t believe we live by the rules. Anything that goes wrong is attributed to Nigerians, and it’s unfair.
“There are people who have faced serious injustice in the hands of these officers. Some were taken to deportation camps. I knew someone who was deported to Nigeria for this,” she said.
Drug crimes in India
No fewer than 50,000 Nigerians are believed to be resident in India.
Analysts believe that the Nigerian community is being targeted due to increased arrests of some people from the country for alleged drug trafficking.
In 2024, Indian agencies arrested 660 foreign nationals for drug-related crimes.
No fewer than 106 of the suspects were reported to be Nigerians, the second highest. Nepal was first on the list with 203 nationals.
Also, 2,356 Nigerians were deported by India between 2019 and 2024, with removals quadrupling from 339 in 2021 to 1,470 in the 2023-2024 fiscal year.
Nigerians are police informants – Diplomat
But a diplomat in India said some Nigerians were being used as informants by the Indian police.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, alleged that such people were usually induced with money.
“Fellow Nigerians report one another to the police when they have disputes. They become informants because the authorities give them a share. When Nigerians are arrested, the police extort money from them, and the informants take a cut. These practices put the country in a bad light,” the source said.
The envoy urged the Federal Government to pursue reciprocity so that Indian students in Nigeria would receive similar visa terms.
“Sometimes, people assume any black person involved (in a crime) is Nigerian, which is not always the case. Due diligence is necessary before drawing conclusions.”
The source also urged Nigerians to comply with local laws.
The official added, “People should ask why Nigerians are being maltreated. What offence did they commit? You are in another country and must obey their laws. Some individuals have overstayed for years without valid visas. Once caught, there may be consequences.”
On the quarterly visa renewal, the official said the issue also affects Nigerian diplomats and called for reciprocal measures.
“As diplomats, our families renew visas yearly. It is an issue we have raised at the highest level, but nothing has been done. The best approach is reciprocity. We should ensure their families get similar terms, while we consider shorter durations for their students.”
FG can’t decide for India — NIDCOM
Reacting, the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission said it was unaware of any formal complaints regarding visa concerns affecting Nigerians, stressing that the Federal Government could not interfere in the immigration policies of other countries.
The Head of Media, Public Relations and Protocols Unit at NIDCOM, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, said the commission had not received complaints from affected students beyond the enquiry raised by Saturday PUNCH.
“No, I am not aware. Apart from you, who raised the matter, students have not complained about that to us,” Balogun said.
He explained that Nigeria’s role in such matters was limited within the framework of international diplomacy, noting that sovereign nations retained the right to determine their visa regulations.
“The only thing Nigeria can do is what they call reciprocity. That’s all. In international diplomacy, you cannot beg them to reduce visa fees,” he added.
Meanwhile, efforts to get clarification from the Indian High Commission in Nigeria yielded little response, as its spokesperson for press and information, Shri Narendra Garg, declined to comment on the matter.
He said, “I don’t know what you are talking about. I am not the person who will answer these questions.”
Similarly, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, did not respond to calls or messages seeking an official reaction as of the time of filing this report.
Ex-envoys demand intervention
Reacting to the matter, former Nigerian envoys called for urgent diplomatic action and restraint, urging both government intervention and responsible conduct among Nigerians abroad.
Speaking with Saturday PUNCH, a retired career diplomat, Sola Abolurin, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs should invite the Nigerian ambassador to India to explain the circumstances surrounding the incidents and engage with Indian authorities on the matter.
Abolurin, who is the General Secretary of the Association of Retired Career Ambassadors of Nigeria, said the ambassador should, in turn, liaise with India’s Ministry of External Affairs to formally communicate Nigeria’s concerns and press for enhanced security measures to protect Nigerian citizens and their property.
The ex-envoy also stressed the need for a thorough investigation into the alleged attacks, to be jointly carried out by both the Nigerian and Indian governments.
He called on the Nigerian Head of Mission in India to engage leaders within the Nigerian community to help maintain calm.
“We also need to know the reasons for these attacks, so the Federal Government, in collaboration with the Indian government, would investigate the situation to find out why the attacks are ongoing,” Abolurin said.
He further emphasised the importance of diplomatic engagement, noting that summoning the ambassador would serve as a formal channel for registering Nigeria’s protest over the incidents.
On his part, a former Nigerian Ambassador to the Philippines, Dr Yemi Farounbi, stressed the need for immediate intervention by Nigeria’s High Commission in India, beginning with direct engagement with Nigerian students and residents.
“Our High Commission in India has to intervene, first with the students and Nigerians there,” Farounbi said.
He emphasised that Nigerians abroad must respect the laws and culture of their host country, noting that this strengthens the government’s ability to defend them when necessary.
“When you are in another man’s land, you must obey their laws and respect their culture. If you are on the right side of the law, it will be easier for the Nigerian government to protect you,” he said.
Farounbi acknowledged that while a minority of Nigerians might engage in misconduct, the majority were law-abiding and should not be profiled based on the actions of a few.
“Because of a few deviants, the host society may generalise, but that is not a true reflection of Nigerians. Most Nigerian students are focused and law-abiding,” he noted.
The ex-envoy urged Nigerian authorities to engage Indian law enforcement agencies to ensure Nigerians are not unfairly targeted or labelled as criminals.
“The Indian authorities must not treat the minority as representative of all Nigerians,” he said.
The envoy also pointed to possible underlying factors such as racism and economic rivalry.
“Some may see Nigerians as taking opportunities or view them through racial bias. Nigerians work hard and often succeed, and that can attract envy, which may sometimes lead to mob action,” Farounbi added.
While noting that such attacks were not entirely new, he expressed confidence that the situation could be addressed through coordinated diplomatic engagement. (PUNCH)
