The United States has announced plans to deport some Nigerians, with the first batch including convicted prisoners. The US envoy to Nigeria, Ambassador Richard Mills Jr., confirmed that all deportees would be dropped in Lagos.
Mills Jr. made this known during a meeting with Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu. He stated that some of those facing deportation had committed crimes in the US, while others had violated immigration laws and failed appeals.
“Those to be repatriated would be dropped in Lagos. There wouldn’t be room for whether it should be in Port Harcourt or Abuja. The first group will be convicted prisoners. Those who committed crimes and are in US prisons. Some of them are those who have clearly violated US immigration laws. They appealed but were denied yet they are still in the US. They have committed immigration crime, people who have been ordered to leave,” Mills Jr. said.
Meanwhile, Odumegwu-Ojukwu has urged the US government to follow international guidelines in handling deportations. She emphasized that Nigerians being repatriated should be treated with dignity and given enough time to sort out their affairs before leaving.
She also raised concerns about the possible suspension of the US Drop Box Visa system, which allows eligible Nigerians to renew their visas without interviews. She said many Nigerians in the US are already experiencing financial and emotional distress due to the new deportation policy.
“With the new administration in the US, we want a situation where there will be commitments. If there will be repatriation, we want a dignified return. At the moment, we’re told that about 201 Nigerian nationals are in US immigration camps, and about 85 have been cleared for deportation.
“Will there be any way of ameliorating their pains? This has been of great concern to not just Nigerian nationals in the US but family members in Nigeria who depend on them for survival, children whose school fees are paid for by these diasporans,” she stated.
The minister also called for clarity on US policies affecting Nigerian students, saying that about 14,000 Nigerians are currently studying in the US. She expressed concerns about potential changes to student visa policies under the new administration.
On trade relations, she noted that Nigeria and the US must work together to boost economic cooperation, especially in the post-COVID-19 era. She urged the US to invest in Nigeria’s mining sector to help strengthen trade ties.
Mills Jr. reassured Nigeria that the US Drop Box Visa system has not been suspended but is under review, and acknowledged concerns over US humanitarian aid programmes like USAID, stating that the new government is still evaluating its policies.
The US envoy also spoke about security in Africa, expressing concern over the recent exit of three Sahel countries from ECOWAS and the region’s ongoing fight against terrorism.
Both countries agreed to strengthen their partnership on trade, security, and migration policies.
