Nigerian arrested by H-NEW and deported from Hyderabad over illegal stay

A Nigerian national was arrested by the Hyderabad Narcotics Enforcement Wing (H-NEW) for allegedly overstaying in India illegally and associating with drug peddlers, and deported to Nigeria to prevent activities deemed detrimental to national security.

The arrested was identified as Obasi James Victor, 38, a native of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and a resident of New Delhi. Acting on a tip-off, H-NEW personnel apprehended him while he was loitering at Tolichowki. During questioning, he failed to produce any valid documents related to his stay in India or provide a satisfactory explanation for his presence in Hyderabad.

Police said that a detailed enquiry revealed that Obasi had entered India on a tourist visa and reached Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai on December 31, 2011. He was initially involved in a cloth export business to Nigeria and later started a restaurant in Delhi under the name “William African Restaurant”. He is married and had been living in Delhi with his family. However, his passport and visa had expired, and he had continued to stay in India illegally for several years.

Officials said that during this period he came into contact with drug peddlers and was involved in drug trafficking and other unlawful activities in order to earn easy money and maintain a lavish lifestyle.

Following his apprehension, the police initiated deportation proceedings in coordination with the Foreigners Regional Registration Office in Hyderabad. As both his passport and visa had expired, an Emergency Travel Document was obtained from the Nigerian High Commission in New Delhi, along with an Exit Permit from the FRRO. His travel was arranged from Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad to Lagos, Nigeria.

A team of H-NEW officers, led by Inspector G.S. Daniel, escorted Obasi and deported him to Nigeria in the early hours of January 13, 2026. Police said the action was taken to prevent him from indulging in further unlawful activities that could pose a threat to national security.

The H-NEW cautioned that several foreign nationals enter India on medical, student or business visas and continue to stay illegally after their documents expire, often getting involved in the transport, supply and sale of drugs. Police warned that such activities contribute to rising substance abuse and addiction, with serious consequences for families and society.