Nigeria’s Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar has firmly rejected a proposal by the United States for African nations to accept deportees from other countries—specifically Venezuelan nationals, including some with criminal records.
Speaking during an interview with Channels TV from Brazil, where he attended the BRICS summit, Tuggar revealed that the U.S. government is exerting “considerable pressure” on African nations to receive Venezuelans being deported from American prisons. He stressed that Nigeria, with its population exceeding 230 million and its own socio-economic challenges, is in no position to accommodate such migrants.
“It will be difficult for a country like Nigeria to accept Venezuelan prisoners into Nigeria. We have enough problems of our own,” Tuggar stated.
This revelation comes in the wake of a recent diplomatic push by former U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration, which asked visiting African leaders—including those from Liberia, Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania, and Gabon—to consider accepting third-country deportees. The Wall Street Journal further reported that an internal State Department memo had urged African governments to facilitate the “dignified, safe, and timely transfer” of these individuals.
Despite repeated inquiries, the White House has not publicly responded to the reports.
The request is part of a broader immigration policy drive by Trump to expedite deportations by relocating migrants to third countries when direct repatriation faces legal or logistical hurdles. However, Nigeria’s stance underscores the complexities and ethical questions surrounding such international migration arrangements—particularly when vulnerable populations or former inmates are involved.
