NANS condemns racist attack on Nigerians studying in India

The National Association of Nigerian Students has described the attack on Nigerian students studying in India by their Indian colleagues over an altercation.

The altercation followed a disagreement over the usage of a football pitch near Delhi, a matter the students’ union has described as a case of racism.

About 60 Nigerian students at Gurgaon University were said to have been forced out of the school’s campus following the rift between them (Nigerians) and the local students while playing football.

Images on social media and multiple reports showed that the Nigerian students were attacked on Saturday following a football match.

They were equally trailed to their hostels with many of them fleeing the campus for fear for their lives.

A local tabloid in the country, Indian Express, reported that the Gurgaon Police registered crossfires against each group of students for allegedly thrashing each other at the football ground on Friday, October 14, 2022, and creating a ruckus.

This comes nearly a month after Indian students staged a protest against foreign students allegedly offering namaz (prayer) at the football ground.

The students allegedly raised “Jai Shree Ram” slogans and filed a complaint with the registrar to ask foreign students to offer namaz (prayer) in allotted rooms.

The administration had said the matter was resolved amicably.

Reacting to the development, NANS Vice President, External Affairs, Akinteye Babatunde urged authorities of educational institutions in Delhi and the rest of India to calm the situation down and punish those responsible for the crisis.

According to him, it’s shameful that even in the 21st century, Nigerians abroad still experience racism.

The statement read, “My attention has been drawn to an ongoing racist attack in the city of Delhi, India where some Nigerian citizens who are currently studying in Delhi were attacked by some Indian Students.

“After painstaking investigation, it was found that the tension erupted as a result of some Nigeria Muslim faithful who said their prayers on a football field instead of an allocated room which prompted some Hindu students to attack Nigerian students on the campus.

“It’s shameful that even in the 21st century, we are still faced with racism. In every case of racism, it’s important we highlight and remind us all about the outcome which has always led to mass violence and disturbance of peace, order and some extreme cases led to loss of lives using the Xenophobic attack situation in South Africa as a prime example.

“While we, as lawful abiding individuals do not wish to cause mayhem or public disturbance, we must make known the fact that the security and welfarism of the lives of everyone the Nigerian students studying in diaspora and at home cannot be overemphasized and must be protected at all costs.

“In our country, there are over 50, 000 Indian migrants who are residing and working, earning daily livings and they have all been embraced with love, care and human dignity and we expect the same gesture from your citizens in order to maintain the cordial relationship we’ve had over the past centuries.

“Finally, l will like to appeal to all Nigeria students schooling in India to keep calm, remain civil, and maintain their safety at all times even in these perilous times as we struggle for a comforting resolution as the executives of NANS would be meeting with the Federal Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs put an end to this shambolic development.”