Nigeria threatens to deport 1m Indians over diplomatic row with India

A major diplomatic row is brewing between Nigeria and India over the Asian country's continued deportation of Nigerians.

The Nigerian government through its consular attache Jacob Nwadadia has threatened to evict Indians living in Nigeria in a diplomatic tit-for-tat.

“There are only 50,000 Nigerians living in India but there are over a million Indians living in Nigeria.

“Thousands of Indians living there will be thrown out on the streets if the forcible eviction of Nigerians in Goa does not stop,” agencies quoted Nigeria’s consular attache Jacob Nwadadia as saying on Monday.

The spokesperson of Nigerian high commission, in New Delhi, Mr. Tokunbo Falohun,  said that Nigeria expected India to accord Nigerians decent treatment as the country's citizens enjoy in Nigeria.

“There is a large Indian community working in Nigeria. There are two temples in Lagos and all Indians have freedom to worship and for their other activities. We also are demanding the same”.

Nigerians are angry over the Goan police’s handling of the death of a Nigerian last week at Mapusa near Panaji. Nigeria has sent a note verbale to the Indian Ministry of External Affairs protesting the death, demanding that the five culprits who killed the Nigerian be arrested by Goan police.

The death resulted from a disagreement between two gangs over drug trafficking.

In Panaji, Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar said, all Nigerian nationals are not being deported. “Nigerians need not worry. Only those who are overstaying and do not have legal documents will be deported.

Parrikar said, there had been a tremendous upsurge in drug trafficking in Goa during the last five years and even the state Home Minister’s son was found indulging in the illegal trade.

In Delhi, External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid described Nigeria as a friendly country and said that the problem will be sorted out.

The Centre has asked Goa government for its report on the killing of the Nigerian national. The Nigerian national was found dead with stab wounds at Mapusa in Goa last week, and this led to protests from around 200 Nigerians who blocked the National Highway.

Goa  chief minister Parrikar said, the state government will soon initiate the process to withdraw cases against Nigerians booked for minor offences so that they can be deported to their country after producing requisite documents.

Parrikar told reporters that the government will however not pardon heinous crimes.Meanwhile, a  Goan youth has been arrested in connection with the killing of the Nigerian national, police said on Wednesday.

The special investigation squad, arrested Surendra Pal Tuesday night for hacking a Nigerian Obodo Uzoma Simeon to death along with others in Parra village, last week.

Surendra Pal was arrested from Chapora, a beachside village in north Goa.

The village panchayat of Parra, the home to several Nigerians in Goa, has decided to launch a crackdown on house owners who have illegally rented out their places to foreigners.

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The special gram sabha of Parra held Tuesday evening resolved to send notices to all house owners who have illegally rented out their premises to foreigners, asking them

to vacate it.The notice mentions that house owners who have rented out their premises to foreigners should get it vacated as they have not obtained no objection certificate from the panchayat to sublet their premises to foreign nationals.

Parra, a village next to Mapusa town and around 9 kms from Panaji, is a home to more than 150 Nigerians.