The Federal Government has called for the immediate release of 42 Nigerians arrested in Mozambique, describing the development as disturbing and unacceptable.

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, condemned the arrests and urged Mozambican authorities to either release the detainees without delay or formally charge them in court if they had committed any offence.

In a statement issued in Abuja on March 7, 2026, by NiDCOM’s Director of Media, Public Relations and Protocols, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, Dabiri-Erewa expressed concern that the arrest operation reportedly targeted only Nigerians.

She noted that the selective nature of the arrests raised serious concerns about possible xenophobic actions against Nigerian citizens residing in the country.

“It is distasteful to learn that only Nigerians were allegedly handpicked for arrest,” Dabiri-Erewa said, stressing that if any of the individuals had violated Mozambican laws, they should be properly arraigned before a court of law rather than detained without charges.

Reports indicate that the Nigerians were arrested at a spare parts market where they were allegedly singled out among traders and other individuals present without clear explanation or specific allegations.

According to available information, the detained Nigerians are said to be legal residents in Mozambique, while the country’s Attorney-General is reportedly unaware of any formal charges filed against them.

The NiDCOM chairman also expressed concern over allegations that some of the detainees were beaten during the arrest, had their personal belongings confiscated and are currently being held in poor health conditions, with several reportedly requiring medical attention.

Dabiri-Erewa therefore urged Mozambican authorities to respect the rights of Nigerian citizens and ensure that justice and due process are upheld.

She reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to protecting the welfare and dignity of its citizens abroad and called for the immediate release of the detained Nigerians if no lawful charges exist.