The Federal Government of Nigeria has reaffirmed its readiness to receive Nigerian nationals who may be deported from the United States as part of the ongoing immigration crackdown by the American government.
This development was disclosed by the Director of Media and Corporate Affairs of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Abdur-Rahman Balogun, in an interview with Vanguard on Tuesday evening. He emphasized that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is taking the lead in handling the situation.
According to Balogun, the Federal Government has already set up an inter-agency committee to oversee the matter should a large-scale deportation occur. The committee comprises the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, NiDCOM, the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, and the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA).
“The Federal Government has put measures in place to manage any potential deportation of Nigerians from the US. This inter-agency committee is fully equipped to respond effectively should the need arise,” Balogun stated.
However, he clarified that NiDCOM has not yet received any official confirmation of Nigerian nationals currently undergoing deportation proceedings in the US.
This comes amid reports that approximately 3,690 Nigerians in the United States are facing deportation as part of former President Donald Trump’s aggressive stance on illegal immigration.
A document compiled by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and its Enforcement and Removal Operations, obtained by The PUNCH, revealed that as of November 24, 2024, about 1,445,549 non-citizens were on ICE’s non-detained docket with final removal orders.
The report, titled “Noncitizens on the ICE Non-Detained Docket with Final Orders of Removal by Country of Citizenship,” indicated that Mexico (252,044) and El Salvador (203,822) topped the list of affected nationalities, with Nigeria also featuring prominently.
ICE, the agency responsible for protecting US national security from cross-border crime and illegal immigration, has intensified its operations. Just last week, hundreds of undocumented migrants were arrested, while others were deported via military aircraft, signaling the beginning of Trump’s widely publicized mass deportation campaign.
As the US ramps up its immigration enforcement, concerns are growing over the fate of Nigerians and other African nationals who may soon be forced to return home. The Nigerian government, through NiDCOM and other agencies, is closely monitoring the situation to ensure a smooth reintegration process for any deported citizens.
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