Nigeria Calls for Humane Repatriation as U.S. Begins Deportation of Convicted Prisoners and Immigration Offenders
The United States has announced that Nigerian deportees will be repatriated via Lagos, according to the U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Mills Jr. Speaking during a meeting with Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Mills confirmed that Lagos would be the designated arrival point for deportees.
First Set of Deportees to Include Convicted Prisoners
Mills revealed that the initial batch of deportees will include convicted criminals currently serving time in U.S. prisons. He added that others facing deportation include individuals who have violated U.S. immigration laws, exhausted their appeals, and failed to leave the country voluntarily.
Nigeria Demands Dignified Repatriation
Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu urged the U.S. government to adhere to international conventions on deportation, emphasizing the need for a humane and dignified process. She also called for measures to mitigate the trauma of deportees, including provisions allowing them to settle their affairs before leaving the U.S.
“At the moment, about 201 Nigerian nationals are in U.S. immigration camps, with 85 already cleared for deportation,”
she disclosed.
“Many of these individuals have families in Nigeria who depend on them financially, and abrupt deportation could cause significant hardship.”
U.S. Drop Box Visa System
Nigeria has also raised concerns over the potential suspension of the U.S. Drop Box Visa system, which allows eligible travelers to renew visas without attending in-person interviews. Odumegwu-Ojukwu highlighted the anxiety among Nigerians who frequently travel to the U.S. for business, education, and family visits. She urged the U.S. to clarify its stance on the policy.
Uncertainty Over U.S. Aid to Nigeria
The Nigerian government has expressed unease over the future of U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) programs in the country. The minister stressed that humanitarian aid and health sector support must not be disrupted, as many communities rely on these programs.
Strengthening U.S.-Nigeria Relations
Odumegwu-Ojukwu called for renewed U.S. investment in Nigeria’s mining sector and the revival of the ‘Silent Secretariat’—a mechanism for assessing bilateral relations. She reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 4-Ds foreign policy framework: Democracy, Development, Demography, and Diaspora.
U.S. Ambassador Addresses Concerns
In response, Ambassador Mills reassured Nigeria that the Drop Box Visa system has not been officially suspended and that any changes would be announced in due course. He acknowledged the concerns surrounding USAID funding and assured that a review was ongoing. He also highlighted U.S. concerns over democracy and security in Africa, particularly the withdrawal of three Sahel states from ECOWAS.
Both countries reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening diplomatic ties, trade, and migration policies to ensure mutual benefits.
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