NiDCOM Cautions Citizens Abroad As Nigerian Facing Deportation Stays Behind Despite Amnesty
DELHI, INDIA — The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) has issued a stern warning to Nigerians living abroad to obey host country laws, following the detention and looming deportation of a Nigerian national, Mr. Ekene Vitus Chukwuma, who deliberately refused to return home during a government amnesty window.
Mr. Chukwuma is currently being held at the Lampur detention camp in Delhi, India, following his arrest in December 2025 for an extended visa overstay and traveling on a passport that had been expired since 2020.
According to an official statement signed by NiDCOM’s Director of Media, Public Relations, and Protocols, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, Mr. Chukwuma had previously been granted relief by the Nigerian High Commission. The mission issued him an Emergency Travel Certificate (ETC) to facilitate his safe return to Nigeria under an official amnesty program.
While Mr. Chukwuma successfully sent his wife and three children back to Nigeria using the window, he willfully chose to stay behind in India without proper documentation to pursue “business”. He was subsequently re-arrested, and his emergency travel documents expired while in custody.
The Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) in India is currently processing his clearance alongside hundreds of other illegal immigrants. Once cleared, the deportees will be sent back to Nigeria at their own expense, after which the High Commission will issue fresh ETCs.
Illicit Activity inside Detention Camp
The press release further revealed deteriorating discipline within the Lampur detention facility. The Nigerian High Commission recently received intelligence that some detainees have turned the facility into an open “market” for the sale of illegal substances, prompting other inmates to file official petitions with the FRRO.
Federal Government Intervenes with Fresh Amnesty Request
In line with the citizen-centered diplomacy framework of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope” agenda, the Nigerian High Commission is actively monitoring the situation. The Mission has formally requested a fresh six-month amnesty period from the Indian government. If approved, this will allow hundreds of other Nigerians currently residing or working illegally in India to leave the country voluntarily without paying steep financial penalties.
Furthermore, a diplomatic delegation led by the High Commissioner to India, Ambassador Saidu Dahiru Muhammad, recently concluded welfare checks at prison facilities in Mumbai, Maharashtra. The Mission plans to expand these consular visits across other Indian provinces to monitor the well-being of incarcerated Nigerian citizens.
NiDCOM has strongly reiterated its call for Nigerian nationals worldwide to safeguard the country’s image by avoiding illegalities and strictly adhering to immigration guidelines.
