Why is Nigeria refusing to accept deported Venezuelans?
Nigeria has firmly rejected a push by the United States to accept Venezuelan nationals deported from American soil, with Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar confirming the decision during an interview on Channels Television. “The US is mounting considerable pressure on African countries to accept Venezuelans to be deported from the US, some straight out of prisons,” Tuggar said. He made it clear that “it will be difficult for Nigeria to accept Venezuelan prisoners.”
This resistance follows a broader U.S. initiative, reportedly led by President Donald Trump, to outsource deportations to African countries, including deporting individuals with no direct connection to those nations. The Wall Street Journal revealed that the Trump administration has been lobbying African states to accommodate deportees from various regions, even those with criminal records or unresolved asylum claims.
Is Trump linking deportations to global political tensions?
Tuggar also pointed to political motivations behind Washington’s pressure campaign. He suggested that U.S. threats of tariffs against BRICS nations, Nigeria includedmay be part of a wider strategy tied to deportation agreements. This comes as Trump hosted leaders from five West African countries at the White House, including Guinea-Bissau, Senegal, Liberia, Mauritania, and Gabon.
While the president of Guinea-Bissau confirmed deportations were discussed during the meeting, he clarified that “he didn’t ask us to take immigrants back,” signaling a murky line between diplomatic conversation and direct demands.
Where else is the U.S. sending third-country deportees?
The Trump administration has implemented mass deportations to several nations beyond their citizens’ origins. Panama has received hundreds of migrants, some of whom were deported before their asylum cases were reviewed. In one disturbing case, deportees bound for El Salvador were sent out despite U.S. court orders instructing planes to turn back.
Further, South Sudan, still grappling with conflict and economic instability, has been used as a destination for third-country nationals, raising concerns about human rights and international accountability.
By Yockshard Enyendi