How a Handful of Criminals Overseas Are Defining 200 Million Nigerians At Home -What You Must Know

By May Abbi

If you're not worried, I'm worried for Nigeria. My heart is pained daily as I read about Nigeria through the different media outlets. There are Nigerians in almost all countries of the world. In the middle East, North and South America, Europe, and Asia, Nigerians are spread in all the countries of these continents. But one thing is common, only a handful of these Nigerians are earning a decent living without involving in criminal activities.

Do not get me wrong. I'm not painting Nigeria black. What I mean by only few are earning a decent living is that only a very few are not involved in criminal activities. Among the few, some are doctors, nurses, peasant workers, students, lecturers, business tycoons, house attendants, and a few more are involved in other good and decent jobs, earning a living for themselves and their families back home in Nigeria.

Many travel out of the shore of Nigeria in the name of going to hustle overseas. But what are they really doing overseas? What do they mean by hustling overseas? Drugs, romance scams, prostitution, human trafficking, internet fraud, cybercrimes, and other ungodly conducts. In their definition, all is about hustling.

But what breaks my heart the most is that their actions overseas are destroying the name of Nigeria. You don't need to agree with me. I don't need your agreement. But I'm writing this based on what I read almost everyday. In Germany, you hear Nigerians arrested for romance scam. In Ghana, Nigerians arrested and jailed for such and such a crime. In Ethiopia, not less than 100 criminals were released from prison to serve the remaining prison term in Nigeria. In South Africa, the name of Nigeria reigns supreme as nationals are very much involved in drugs and other criminal activities.

In major countries of the world, Nigerians are in their prisons serving various jail terms. While there are no accurate figure globally, it is believed that many Nigerians are serving different jail terms for many of these crimes. In Ethiopia, east Africa, about 100 Nigerians were covered under a recent prisoner transfer arrangement between the two nations.

In South Africa, there is no official public count, but Nigerians have been imprisoned for drug trafficking, fraud, violent crime, and immigration related offences. In Ghana, there is no official public count, but just a few days ago, 96 Nigerians were arrested in Ghana, both males and females.

In Libya, many Nigerians have been detained in migrant detention centres, which are different from prisons.

If we move to Asia, in Iran, there is a historical estimate of about 4,000. In China, there's a historical estimate of about 700. India, there is a historical estimate of about 500. In Indonesia, there is estimate of around 96. In Saudi Arabia, there's no verified public count. And in Malaysia, no verified public count.

If you move over to the United Arab Emirates, there's no verified public count, though Nigerians have been imprisoned for financial crimes, drug offences, and immigration violations. In Thailand, small numbers reported, mainly for drug-related offences.

Now, let's enter the continent of Europe. In the United Kingdom, we have a historical estimate of about 752. In Italy, there's no official public count. In Spain, no official public count. In Germany, no official public count. In France, no official public count.

Now, let's enter North America. In Canada, there is a historical estimate of about 3,719. In the United States, there's no official public count because federal and state prison systems report data differently.

Across these countries listed, the offences most frequently reported include drug trafficking and drug possession; internet fraud and financial crimes; human trafficking; immigration and visa violations; money laundering, identity theft and cybercrime.

Many of the figures often quoted particularly for Iran, Canada, China, India, and the UK, originate from Nigerian government estimates made more than a decade ago. Few countries release current prison populations by nationality, so there is no verified 2026 global ranking of Nigerians in foreign prisons.

Now, what's our problem as Nigerians? What do we really want in this world? What is the cause of these criminal activities? Again, why is it that Nigerians appear prominent in most criminal records? In almost every report of crimes committed, be it cyber crime, romance scam, drug and human trafficking, immigration related offenses, just name it, a Nigerian must be involved.

This is why I am most worried. Nigeria is a very big country. It has enough resources that can cater for the needs of all citizens and provide good life for all. Most of the developed countries in the world are not resource-endowed like Nigeria. But the government of those countries utilize the resources for the good of their people. But here in Nigeria, it's a disturbing contradiction.

Who is to blame in all this? Should we blame the government of Nigeria? Or is it the citizens that migrated to those countries that should be blamed? Are their reasons cogent enough to leave Nigeria and resort to unwholesome and disgraceful acts out side the country? Your view matters.