Drug Offences, Visa Overstays Tarnishing Nigeria’s Reputation in India – Lecturer.

An Associate Professor at Woxsen University, Telangana, India, Dr Michael Oyenuga, has expressed concern that drug trafficking and visa overstays involving some Nigerians are damaging the reputation of Nigerians living legitimately in India.

Speaking in an interview with The PUNCH, Oyenuga said Nigerians in India often face stigma because of the actions of some individuals involved in criminal activities.

He said landlords sometimes refuse to rent apartments to Nigerians because of the perception that they are involved in drug-related activities.

According to him, some Nigerians enter India through study visas but later engage in activities unrelated to their stated purpose for travelling.

Oyenuga explained that India operates a visa system that requires many foreigners, including Nigerians, to renew their visas annually. He also noted that dependants on certain visas are not permitted to take up formal employment.

He urged Nigerians living in India to maintain integrity and avoid activities that could further damage the image of the country.

The lecturer also called for stronger diplomatic relations between Nigeria and India, saying Nigerian citizens in India do not always receive sufficient support from their embassy.

He recalled an occasion in 2024 when Nigerians at his university invited a Nigerian diplomatic representative to speak during their Independence Day celebration, but the invitation was not honoured.

Oyenuga added that the Nigerian community in India generally supports one another and that Nigerians abroad often put aside political, religious and ethnic differences to work together.

He said Nigerians living in the diaspora tend to embrace one another because they are far from their families and therefore rely on fellow Nigerians for support.

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