NIDCOM EXPLAINS POSITION ON NIGERIAN HELD IN INDIA

The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission has rejected allegations that it gave a false account of the circumstances surrounding the detention of Ekene Vitus Chukwuma in India, insisting that his immigration status was central to the case. NiDCOM, in a statement shared on X on Thursday, said Chukwuma’s Nigerian passport expired in 2020 and that he was arrested in December 2025 for overstaying his visa.

The commission was responding to a report in which Chukwuma reportedly disputed some of its earlier claims about his detention. The report stated that he had been held at a deportation camp in Delhi since December 2025 and alleged that he did not receive an Emergency Travel Certificate until May 2026, about six months after his arrest. Chukwuma was also reported to have rejected NiDCOM’s claim that he had previously received an Emergency Travel Certificate during an amnesty programme but failed to use it.

NiDCOM maintained that Chukwuma remained in India without valid documentation while conducting business after his passport had expired. The commission said he had told a consular officer of the Nigerian High Commission by telephone that he sent his wife and three children back to Nigeria but stayed behind to do business. It added that he had previously been issued an Emergency Travel Certificate to facilitate his return to Nigeria during an amnesty period but did not use it, while the document later expired after he was arrested and detained.

The commission explained that deportation proceedings were the responsibility of India’s Foreigners Regional Registration Office and that detainees had to be cleared by the Indian authorities before they could be deported. It said the Nigerian High Commission would issue fresh Emergency Travel Certificates to Nigerians cleared for deportation after receiving the necessary requests from Indian authorities. NiDCOM also disclosed that the Nigerian mission had requested another six-month amnesty for Nigerians living and working illegally in India to leave without paying penalties.

NiDCOM urged Nigerians living abroad to obey the laws of their host countries and use regular migration channels. It said irregular stay could damage the image of Nigerians who legally live and work overseas, while stressing that it remained committed to assisting Nigerians genuinely in distress abroad. The commission also maintained that Chukwuma’s immigration status should be considered alongside concerns raised about his detention and return to Nigeria.