FG dismisses U.S. deportation proposal as unrealistic, cites national interest

By Favour Ulebor, Abuja

The Federal Government of Nigeria has firmly rejected a proposal from the United States to accept deported foreign nationals, describing the request as unrealistic and misaligned with Nigeria’s current socio-economic and security realities.

Speaking with Vanguard, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Kimiebi Ebienfa, said the decision was based on a comprehensive assessment of the potential consequences and rooted in national interest.

“Even if other African countries are accepting deportees from the U.S., Nigeria will not. We are a sovereign nation and we take decisions only after fully analysing the implications to our national security,” Ebienfa said.

He emphasized that while countries such as Rwanda, Eswatini, and South Sudan had agreed to cooperate with the U.S. on deportation arrangements, Nigeria would not follow suit.

“We have our own challenges. We will not allow ourselves to be pressured into accepting deportees, regardless of what other nations are doing. Our national interest, as it stands now, is not favourably disposed to accepting deportees from the American government,” he added.

In July, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, revealed that the administration of former U.S. President Donald Trump had pressured African nations to accept foreign nationals — including prisoners — under its controversial “third-country deportation” policy.

“The U.S. is mounting considerable pressure on African countries to accept Venezuelans to be deported from the U.S., some straight out of prisons,” Tuggar disclosed.

He condemned the policy as “unacceptable,” warning that it would impose an undue burden on countries already grappling with internal issues.

“It will be difficult for countries like Nigeria to accept Venezuelan prisoners. We already have 230 million people and enough problems of our own. We cannot accept Venezuelan deportees, for crying out loud,” he said.

Although the full details of the diplomatic exchanges remain unclear, the tension in immigration relations between both countries has already had visible consequences.

In June, the U.S. Department of State introduced new visa regulations for Nigerians, reducing the validity of most non-immigrant, non-diplomatic visas to single-entry permits valid for just three months.

The revised visa policy marks a significant shift in the long-standing reciprocity framework between Nigeria and the U.S. and reflects broader efforts by Washington to align its immigration and security protocols with current foreign policy objectives.

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