The Federal Government has reaffirmed its refusal to accept deportees from the United States, distancing itself from recent decisions by Rwanda, Eswatini, and South Sudan to receive foreign nationals expelled under Washington’s revived “third-country deportation” policy.
Speaking to Hobnob News, Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Kimiebi Ebienfa stressed that Nigeria’s stance remains unchanged, citing national security, economic pressures, and existing domestic challenges.
Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Tuggar had earlier revealed that President Donald Trump’s administration was pressing African nations to receive Venezuelans and other foreign nationals—some directly from U.S. prisons—despite no links to the recipient countries. Tuggar described the move as “unacceptable,” warning that Nigeria cannot shoulder the burden of accommodating deportees with no ties to the country.
“It will be difficult for countries like Nigeria to accept Venezuelan prisoners into Nigeria. We have enough problems of our own. We cannot accept Venezuelan deportees… We already have 230 million people,” Tuggar said.
The controversial “third-country deportation” policy, reintroduced after a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in June 2025, allows Washington to send deportees to countries other than their own if their home nations refuse to take them back. While South Sudan, Eswatini, and Rwanda have agreed to such arrangements, Nigeria maintains it will not accept individuals whose identities and backgrounds are unverified.
Ebienfa noted that Nigeria is managing critical projects—including the Nigeria-Morocco gas pipeline and rare earth mineral development—and will not take on what he called “additional baggage.”
Former Nigerian diplomats have backed the government’s position. Retired Ambassador Ogbole Amedu-Ode questioned the rationale of deporting non-Nigerians to unrelated countries, calling Nigeria’s refusal “a dignified response.” Ambassador Rasheed Akinkuolie added that while some African states may choose to accept deportees for their own reasons, Nigeria’s policy must prioritise its sovereignty and security.
The Trump administration has hinted at possible visa sanctions against countries that resist deportation requests, a threat previously used against South Sudan. Nonetheless, Nigerian officials insist the country will only receive its own citizens and will continue to vet all immigration cases carefully.
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