NiDCOM Clarifies Ekene Chukwuma’s Deportation Case, Warns Nigerians Against Immigration Violations
Oru Leonard
The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) has provided an update on the case of Mr. Ekene Vitus Chukwuma, a Nigerian currently being held at Lampur Detention Camp in Delhi, India, following his arrest for visa overstay.
In a statement signed by its Director of Media, Public Relations and Protocols, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, NiDCOM said Chukwuma was arrested in December 2025 after remaining in India without valid immigration documentation.
According to the Commission,
Chukwuma informed a Consular Officer of the Nigerian High Commission in India by telephone that he had successfully sent his wife and three children back to Nigeria but chose to remain in India to pursue what he described as “business.”
NiDCOM said Chukwuma’s Nigerian passport had expired in 2020, but he was issued an Emergency Travel Certificate (ETC) by the Nigerian High Commission to facilitate his return to Nigeria during an amnesty period.
The Commission said he, however, did not utilise the ETC, choosing instead to remain in India after his family had returned to Nigeria.
He was subsequently arrested, while the ETC issued to him expired during his detention.
NiDCOM explained that deportation matters are handled by India’s Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO), which conducts the necessary checks and clearance before detainees can be deported.
The Commission said several Nigerians in detention had already been cleared, while others remained in custody awaiting deportation.
It added that once detainees are cleared and ready for deportation, they are expected to bear the cost of their return, while the Nigerian High Commission issues Emergency Travel Certificates upon receiving formal deportation requests from the relevant Indian authorities.
NiDCOM also disclosed that the Nigerian High Commission recently received reports alleging that some detainees were involved in the sale of illegal substances within a deportation camp.
According to the Commission, some detainees had petitioned the FRRO over the alleged activities.
The Commission stressed that Chukwuma’s case should be viewed in the context of his decision to remain in India despite having received an opportunity to return during the amnesty period.
NiDCOM said the Nigerian High Commission in India would continue to monitor Chukwuma’s situation, alongside that of hundreds of other Nigerians facing deportation issues.
The Commission further disclosed that the Mission has requested another six-month amnesty period for Nigerians residing and working illegally in India to enable them return home without payment of penalties.
NiDCOM said the initiative is consistent with the Federal Government’s citizen-centred diplomacy under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
The High Commission, according to the statement, also plans to undertake consular visits to prisons and detention facilities across other Indian provinces to assess the welfare of Nigerian inmates and report its findings to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The Commission urged Nigerians living abroad to respect the laws and immigration regulations of their host countries.
“NiDCOM hereby reiterates its warning to Nigerians abroad to always obey the law of their host countries and avoid any form of illegality,” the statement said.
