Nigeria’s High Commissioner to India, Ambassador Saidu Dahiru Muhammad, has visited correctional facilities across India and held direct interactions with 198 Nigerian citizens in detention, in a move he described as part of Nigeria’s push for “citizen-centred diplomacy.”
Speaking during an interactive session with diplomatic correspondents in New Delhi on the sidelines of the 2026 BRICS Summit, Muhammad said the visits were aimed at assessing the welfare and concerns of Nigerians incarcerated in India.
According to the envoy, the mission visited several correctional centres over a three-day period. These included facilities housing 16, more than 70 and over 50 Nigerian inmates, as well as a centre holding 19 women and girls.
During the interactions, the detainees raised concerns about alleged maltreatment, racial discrimination, limited access to legal representation, delays in court proceedings and inadequate medical attention.
Muhammad said he immediately engaged prison authorities over the concerns. His findings, he noted, showed that many of the challenges were linked to prolonged investigations and delays in the judicial process, rather than the conduct of prison officials.
The High Commissioner stressed that, regardless of the allegations against the detainees, their fundamental human rights must be protected.
Muhammad said the mission had submitted a detailed report to Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, outlining the concerns and recommending appropriate action.
He disclosed that the report received prompt attention from the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, who commended the mission and pledged to escalate the issues to the highest levels of government.
Since assuming office seven weeks ago, Muhammad said he had sent an average of one dispatch per week to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to keep officials updated on developments affecting Nigerians in India.
He added that the High Commission had also strengthened its engagement with the Nigerian community in India, urging community leaders to bring their concerns directly to the mission.
The envoy acknowledged funding constraints as a major challenge. Given India’s population of more than 1.4 billion and its vast geography, he said the mission lacked the resources to establish consular offices across the country.
He reaffirmed the mission’s commitment to serving Nigerians in India and strengthening bilateral relations through people-to-people engagement.
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