By Gabriel Ameh
NEW DELHI: Nigeria’s High Commissioner to India, Ambassador Saidu Dahiru Muhammad, says the Nigerian mission is stepping up efforts to protect the welfare and rights of citizens facing legal challenges in India.
Muhammad disclosed that he and officials of the Nigerian High Commission recently visited correctional facilities across India, where they interacted directly with 198 Nigerian citizens in detention over a three-day period.
The High Commissioner made the disclosure during an interactive session with diplomatic correspondents in New Delhi covering the 2026 BRICS Summit.
He said the prison visits formed part of his administration’s citizen-centred diplomacy, aimed at ensuring that Nigerians abroad remain connected to their country and receive appropriate consular support when facing difficulties.
According to Muhammad, the mission visited several correctional facilities, including centres holding 16, more than 70 and over 50 Nigerian inmates, as well as a facility where 19 women and girls were detained.
“This is to show that our government is concerned about its citizens. We call it citizen-centred diplomacy,” he said.
The envoy said the Nigerian detainees raised a number of concerns during the visits, including alleged maltreatment and racial discrimination, limited access to legal representation, delays in court proceedings and inadequate medical attention.
Muhammad said the mission immediately engaged prison authorities over the complaints raised by the detainees.
He added that the mission found prison officials to be generally cooperative, but observed that many of the difficulties were linked to prolonged investigations and delays in the judicial process.
“We realised that prison officials were generally cooperative, but many detainees are awaiting trial and the judicial process takes time,” he said.
The High Commissioner stressed that the legal status of a detainee should not determine whether their fundamental rights are respected.
He said the mission was committed to engaging relevant Indian authorities and advocating for the welfare and rights of Nigerian citizens in detention.
“Universal principles require that all human beings be treated fairly. Their fundamental rights must not be abused, distorted or violated in any way, and their welfare must be taken care of,” Muhammad said.
Following the visits, the Nigerian mission submitted a detailed report to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs outlining the concerns raised by the detainees and recommendations for addressing them.
Muhammad said the report received prompt attention from Foreign Affairs Minister Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, who commended the mission’s efforts and pledged to escalate the issues to the highest levels of government.
The envoy said the initiative was intended to reassure Nigerians living in India that the Nigerian government remains concerned about their welfare, including citizens facing criminal or immigration-related proceedings.
“Nigeria remembers them. That is why we are going there,” he said.
Stronger Engagement With Nigerians
Muhammad also disclosed that since assuming office seven weeks ago, he had sent an average of one diplomatic dispatch every week to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, keeping senior officials informed about developments involving Nigerians in India.
He said the High Commission had also strengthened its engagement with Nigerian community leaders and organisations across the country.
According to him, Nigerians have been encouraged to bring their concerns directly to the mission so that legitimate complaints can be addressed while necessary advice and guidance are provided.
“We have told them that this mission is open to them. They can come here with their concerns and activities,” he said.
The High Commissioner, however, acknowledged that funding and logistical constraints remain a major challenge.
He noted that India’s vast geographical size and population of more than 1.4 billion people make it difficult for the Nigerian mission to reach every citizen effectively.
Muhammad said the High Commission currently lacks the resources to establish additional consular offices across India but remains committed to finding ways to reach Nigerians wherever they live.
“We should have the capacity to go out and reach our people, so they know that we are here for them,” he said.
He reaffirmed the mission’s commitment to serving Nigerians in India while using people-to-people engagement to strengthen Nigeria-India relations.
