The Director-General of the APC Digital Force, Pharm. Ikeagwuonwu Chinedu Klinsmann, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and relevant government agencies to urgently intervene over the reported detention, arrest and deportation of Nigerian students in the United States.

Speaking from Stockholm, Sweden, Klinsmann expressed concern over what he described as a growing wave of enforcement actions by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) targeting Nigerian students on valid F-1 and J-1 visas.

According to him, reports from several U.S. states suggest that Nigerian students have been detained or placed in removal proceedings over what he termed “minor technical infractions, administrative delays, or alleged status violations” that should ordinarily attract corrective guidance rather than detention or deportation.

Klinsmann said many of the affected individuals are law-abiding students enrolled in legitimate academic programmes, with clean records and proof of compliance with U.S. immigration regulations.

“These students are not criminals. They are ambassadors of Nigeria’s intellect, resilience, and global competitiveness,” he said.

“Subjecting them to detention, humiliation, and abrupt deportation over minor visa-related discrepancies is both unjust and disproportionate.”

He warned that beyond the immediate trauma to students and their families, the situation could undermine educational exchange programmes and strain Nigeria–U.S. relations if not addressed swiftly through coordinated diplomatic action.

The APC Digital Force DG called on the Director-General of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, to urgently engage U.S. immigration authorities and advocate for the release of detained students, suspension of deportations where due process has not been exhausted, and access to legal representation and consular protection.

He also urged NIDCOM to dispatch a high-level delegation or special envoy to the United States to interface with affected students, liaise with immigration lawyers and submit a detailed report to President Tinubu.

Klinsmann further appealed to Nigerian embassies and consulates in the U.S. to intensify consular engagement, including monitoring detention conditions, facilitating access to legal counsel and formally protesting any violations of international norms.

While acknowledging the sovereign right of the United States to enforce its immigration laws, Klinsmann said enforcement should be guided by “fairness, proportionality and respect for human dignity,” especially where students are affected by administrative delays or policy ambiguities.

He urged President Tinubu to direct NIDCOM to engage U.S. authorities at the highest diplomatic level, expressing confidence that the administration would act decisively in line with its Renewed Hope Agenda.

“I am confident that President Tinubu will not allow innocent Nigerian students to be treated unjustly abroad,” he said.

“The Renewed Hope Agenda is about dignity, protection, and opportunity for all Nigerians, irrespective of where they reside.”

Klinsmann also called for long-term measures, including visa-compliance education, stronger embassy-student engagement and an emergency legal support framework for Nigerians facing immigration challenges overseas.

Vanguard News