Nigeria’s High Commissioner to India, Ambassador Saidu Dahiru Muhammad, has met 198 Nigerian citizens held in correctional facilities across India, placing prison welfare, legal delays and consular support at the centre of what he described as Nigeria’s citizen-focused diplomatic approach.

Muhammad disclosed the initiative during an interaction with diplomatic correspondents in New Delhi. According to the High Commissioner, the three-day outreach allowed Nigerian officials to hear directly from citizens in detention and raise their concerns with relevant Indian authorities.

Welfare

Muhammad said he visited several correctional centres housing Nigerian detainees, including facilities holding groups of 16, more than 70 and over 50 citizens. The delegation also met 19 Nigerian women and girls in detention, bringing the total number of Nigerians directly engaged to 198.

He said the visits were intended to reassure citizens that the Nigerian government remains concerned about their welfare even when they are facing criminal investigations or court proceedings abroad.

During the meetings, detainees raised concerns about alleged discrimination, treatment in custody, limited access to lawyers and inadequate medical attention.

Delays

The High Commissioner said many complaints were connected to lengthy investigations and delays in the judicial process. After discussing the issues with prison officials, he said the mission found correctional authorities generally cooperative.

However, several Nigerian inmates were still awaiting trial or the completion of investigations, creating prolonged periods of detention and uncertainty.

Muhammad said the High Commission would continue engaging Indian authorities to improve communication and help Nigerians better understand the legal processes affecting their cases.

Rights

The envoy stressed that allegations against detainees do not remove their entitlement to fundamental human rights.

He said every individual should receive fair treatment, access to necessary medical care and appropriate legal processes while in custody. The mission, he added, would continue advocating against any abuse or violation of detainees’ rights.

The High Commission has since submitted a detailed report to Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs outlining issues raised during the prison visits and recommending further action.

Muhammad said Foreign Affairs Minister Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu welcomed the report and indicated that the concerns would receive attention at senior levels of government.

Consular

Since assuming office about seven weeks earlier, Muhammad said he had been sending regular dispatches to the Foreign Affairs Ministry on developments affecting Nigerians in India.

The mission has also increased engagement with Nigerian community leaders and organisations, encouraging citizens to bring legitimate concerns directly to the High Commission.

Muhammad acknowledged that limited funding makes nationwide consular outreach difficult in a country as large as India. Nigeria does not have the resources to establish consular offices across every major region, he said.

Outreach

Despite those limitations, Muhammad said the mission remains committed to reaching Nigerian citizens wherever possible and strengthening Nigeria-India ties through greater people-to-people engagement.

He said the broader goal is to ensure Nigerians abroad remain connected to their government while receiving guidance, consular assistance and appropriate support when legal or welfare concerns arise.