Nigerian students in India cry out

Nigerian students in India have cried out over the appalling treatment being meted out to them in that country.

They lamented that many of them are being thrown into jail indiscriminately, while the India authorities also treats holders of the Nigerian international passport differently based on the point of issuance in Nigeria.

Speaking exclusively with Ripples Nigeria, a Nigerian in India, who doubles as the PRO of the Nigerian Citizens Welfare Association (NICWA) Ani Benson, stated that a number of Nigerian students have been thrown into India prisons.

He said that the new Nigerian High Commissioner to india, Major Gen. Chris Eze has been able to secure the release of two of such Nigerians, while others are still languishing in India detention centre, without being charged for any offence.

He called on the Nigerian media to highlight their plights in India, so as to save them from further unwarranted harassments.

Benson said, “Last time we sent news about Nigerian students in Hyderabad, till date Nigerian media didn’t do anything. And now our students are still in jail, but two have been released with the efforts of the new ambassador”.

He continued, that “We are being treated like animals here in India, and they are treating us as if we are from two different Nigeria”.

He noted that despite the fact that international passports are issued in Lagos and Abuja, the Indian authorities even in Nigeria have segregated the issuance of visa, depending on where passport was issued in Nigeria.

“They issue visa in Abuja and also at Lagos. But if you come with Nigeria passport which was issued in ikoyi to Abuja to apply for visa, they will ask you to go back to Lagos”, Benson claimed.

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He wondered why the Nigeria government has over the years refused to take up these issues with their Indian counterparts, even as he noted that there are more Indians in Nigeria, than there were Nigerians in India.

He however commended Major Gen. Eze for having addressed a number of the issues facing them in India, but noted that more needs to be done, as the Indian authorities don’t have much respect for Nigerians.

He stated that some people had been spreading false rumours about the new High commissioner, whom he said was a far cry from his predecessor, who virtually abandoned Nigerians in India to their fate.

“As a member of the Nigerian community in India, we are deeply concerned and horrified by the false allegations by some members who cannot bribe the current High Commissioner and decided to stoop down to the lowest level trying to tarnish the reputation of the High Commissioner.

“Since he arrived in India issues concerning Nigerians have been minimised as he was actively participating in all activities concerning Nigerians most specially regarding issues of students who face hurdles”, he said.

 

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