Two Nigerians who allegedly escaped from a Nepalese prison during recent anti-government protests have been arrested by operatives of the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), India’s paramilitary force.

According to a report by Press Trust of India on Monday, the suspects were apprehended on Saturday at Jainagar in Bihar State while attempting to cross into India.

The duo were said to be among several foreign nationals and locals who fled detention facilities in Nepal following violent demonstrations that rocked the Himalayan nation in recent weeks.

Quoting a security source, the agency reported, “These people have been caught from the border over the last three to four days after they escaped from various jails following the massive anti-government protests in Nepal.”

The SSB disclosed that more than 79 escapees, including other foreign nationals, have been arrested across Indian states bordering Nepal.

Officials explained that the heightened security operation was necessary given that the India-Nepal border spans 1,751 kilometres across 20 districts in five states and remains unfenced mainly.

The arrest has again put the spotlight on the recurring involvement of Nigerian nationals in transnational crimes across Asia, a trend that has increasingly worried authorities.

In August, police in Kozhikode City, India, arrested eight Nigerians for allegedly trafficking drugs.

Quoting The Hindu, the report said the suspects played “key roles” in a larger drug syndicate operating across India. Working with a state-level squad, the Kozhikode police uncovered a synthetic drug production unit in Gurugram, Haryana, with support from police teams in Delhi and Haryana.