FG urges India to protect Nigerians in detention centres

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Executive Secretary, National Human Rights Commission, Anthony Ojukwu, High Commissioner of India to Nigeria is Amb. Abhishek Singh, Chairperson of India's National Human Rights Commission, Justice V. Ramasubramanian and other officials. Photo Credit: MFA

The Federal Government has called on India to ensure the welfare, dignity and protection of the fundamental human rights of Nigerians held in custodial centres across the country.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, made the appeal during a meeting with a joint high-level delegation of the National Human Rights Commissions of Nigeria and India at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Abuja.

According to a press statement issued on Thursday and signed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson, Oluwafemi Adeniyi, the minister expressed concern over the treatment of Nigerians serving in custodial centres in India and called for appropriate attention to their welfare and human rights.

She said, “The MoU on Cooperation between the NHRCs is a timely initiative for the translation of the longstanding Nigeria-India relations into practical institutional cooperation on the promotion of human rights. There is the need to strengthen access to justice, improve complaint-handling mechanisms and protect the rights of persons in vulnerable circumstances, ensuring equitable access to essential support and services for them.

“Nigeria and India have an opportunity to contribute constructively to a more inclusive international human rights architecture, as members of the Global South.

“I call on the Indian government to ensure the humane and proper treatment of Nigerian citizens serving in custodial centres in the country, and that they receive appropriate attention to their welfare, dignity and fundamental human rights.”

Odumegwu-Ojukwu, added that the protection of vulnerable persons and access to justice should remain central to the growing human rights cooperation between both countries.

The Minister’s appeal comes as Nigeria and India strengthened their human rights partnership through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between their respective National Human Rights Commissions.

The agreement is expected to promote institutional cooperation, technical exchanges and the sharing of best practices in human rights protection.

The minister described the agreement as a timely initiative for translating the longstanding relations between Nigeria and India into practical institutional cooperation.

She emphasised the need to strengthen access to justice, improve complaint-handling mechanisms and protect people in vulnerable circumstances, ensuring equitable access to essential support and services.

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According to her, Nigeria and India have an opportunity to contribute constructively to a more inclusive international human rights architecture as members of the Global South.

She expressed Nigeria’s readiness to deepen engagement with India and other international partners in advancing human rights diplomacy and strengthening national and international human rights institutions.

The minister also expressed appreciation to United Nations member states for supporting Nigeria’s election to the Human Rights Council for the 2027–2028 term.

She reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to fulfilling its obligations under the United Nations Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, guided by the principles of objectivity, non-selectivity and constructive international engagement.

Earlier, the Executive Secretary of Nigeria’s National Human Rights Commission, Chief Anthony Ojukwu, described the MoU as an important framework for strengthening institutional cooperation and technical exchanges between the two countries.

He said the partnership would focus on improving complaint-management mechanisms, strengthening human rights compliance in security sector governance and promoting joint research on international law, human rights implementation and emerging issues.

Ojukwu also stressed the importance of collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in integrating international human rights standards into Nigeria’s treaty obligations and diplomatic frameworks.

In his remarks, the Chairperson of India’s National Human Rights Commission, Justice V. Ramasubramanian, highlighted the longstanding historical and diplomatic relations between both countries.

He noted that Nigeria and India shared similarities in population size, ethnic and religious diversity, cultural heritage and democratic aspirations.

Ramasubramanian described the MoU as an important step towards facilitating practical cooperation, institutional learning and capacity development through the exchange of experiences and best practices between the two human rights institutions.

The delegation was jointly led by Ojukwu and Ramasubramanian during the courtesy visit to the minister.