85 Deported Nigerians To arrive in Lagos from the US today.
The United States has begun deporting Nigerian citizens, with 85 deported individuals scheduled to arrive in Lagos and 116 others currently detained. The Nigerian government, through the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, has voiced concerns about the process, urging a more humane approach.
Ambassador Odumegwu-Ojukwu, in a statement released Sunday by her media aide, Magnus Eze, revealed that “with about 201 Nigerians currently detained in US immigration centres and about 85 cleared for deportation,” the government is advocating for adherence to internationally recognised guidelines. She reiterated this stance in a Monday post on her official X account, titled “US Deportations Begin.”
The US has confirmed that all deported Nigerians will be flown directly to Lagos. A US official, Mills, emphasised that individuals serving prison sentences in the US will be among the first group deported. “Those to be repatriated would be dropped in Lagos. There would not be room for whether it should be in Port Harcourt or Abuja,” Mills stated. “The first group will be convicted prisoners, those who committed crimes and are in US prisons. Some of them are those who have violated US immigration laws. They appealed but were denied, yet they are still in the US. He added They have committed immigration crimes, people who have been ordered to leave.”
Ambassador Odumegwu-Ojukwu expressed concern about the emotional and financial impact of these deportations on Nigerians in the US and their families, stressing the need for humane and compliant processes. She said, “With the new administration in the US, we want a situation where there will be commitments.
See Also: Trump Signs Laken Riley Act as His First Legislation
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. She questioned. Will there be any way of ameliorating their pains? This has been of great concern to not just Nigerian nationals in the US but also family members in Nigeria who depend on them for survival, children whose school fees are paid for by these diasporans.
We are asking as a country whether they will be given ample time to handle their assets or will they just be bundled into planes and repatriated. It will really be traumatic, especially for those who have not committed any violent crime.”.
These deportations are occurring within the context of stricter immigration policies implemented by the previous US administration. These policies have included measures aimed at tightening immigration enforcement. These policy shifts, according to various media reports, have increased anxieties within immigrant communities.
Content Credit| Igbakuma Rita Doom
Picture Credit | https://www.pulse.ng/
