German Police have arrested six male Nigerian asylum seekers after a riot at a housing centre in Bavaria, Germany.

Reports say five German police officers were injured last Friday as they attempted to stop the rioting at the asylum seeker housing centre.

The officers were verbally abused and mobbed by around 30 asylum seekers after arriving at the centre in the small community of Stephansposching, about 130 kilometres north-east of Munich, police said.

The situation further escalated when they attempted to pull the ringleaders out of the crowd, with several refugees hitting the officers and throwing bicycles at them.

Others erected barricades and tried to prevent police, who defended themselves with pepper spray, from leaving the centre.

The situation was only calmed when reinforcements arrived, according to police, who said that four officers were taken to hospital with cuts as well as injuries to their ribs and eyes.