A confrontation involving a group of Nigerians and Vietnamese security forces has drawn attention online following the circulation of a video showing the tense standoff.

The footage, posted Thursday on X (formerly Twitter) by the account NoNonsensezone, showed several young Nigerians wielding sticks and stones and voicing threats of violence, while Vietnamese anti-riot officers maintain a guarded stance nearby.

A man believed to be Nigerian is seen lying on the ground, with others attending to him and pouring cold water on his body. He was reportedly struck by an object during the standoff.

“They want to kill us, they want to kill Nigerians. There will be war today,” one of the individuals in the video can be heard shouting.

While the precise timing of the video has not been confirmed, and The Guardian has not independently verified the authenticity or recency of the incident, the confrontation is reported to have been triggered by fears of mass deportation of Nigerians from Vietnam.

According to commentary accompanying the post, tensions rose following claims that Vietnamese authorities had begun targeting Nigerians in what some described as a crackdown.

One speaker in the video alleged that Nigerian nationals were being hunted by local authorities, with unverified claims that some had been killed.

There are currently no official Vietnamese or Nigerian government statements confirming any mass deportation operation or fatalities.

Online reactions have been mixed. Some users condemned the conduct of the Nigerians seen in the video, calling for respect for local laws and the need for diplomacy. Others urged the Nigerian government to investigate the claims and ensure the protection of its nationals abroad.

As of Thursday evening, neither the Ministry of Foreign Affairs nor the Nigerian Embassy in Vietnam had issued any official response to the incident.