The Nigerian Presidency has clarified that the newly signed migration agreement with the United Kingdom does not include foreign deportees, amid reports of widespread misinformation.
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, in a statement on Friday, said the deal strictly concerns Nigerian citizens residing illegally in the UK.
“For clarity it is important to state that the agreement signed by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, during the State Visit of President Bola Tinubu, on behalf of the government of Nigeria, and Home Secretary, Rt Hon Shabana Mahmood, on behalf of the UK government, only relates to Nigerians who do not have legal status to live and remain in the UK,” Ajayi said.
He emphasised that “Nigerian government is not taking back non-Nigerians. The UK government is not compelling Nigeria to take those who are not our citizens. This clarification becomes necessary because of those who have already revved up their misinformation machinery.”
Ajayi explained that the agreement guarantees that returnees who are citizens of Nigeria will be treated with dignity, retain their rights under domestic law, and may re-enter in the future if they meet the applicable immigration requirements.
He added that the Ministry of Interior also provided detailed arrangements for the dignified return and reintegration of Nigerians who do not have legal status to remain in the UK.
“This arrangement includes the use of secured travel documentation, case-by-case identity verification, and safeguards for vulnerable individuals and potential victims of trafficking,” Ajayi said.
The framework also outlines clear definitions, scope, and areas of cooperation between the two countries, including information sharing, capacity building, training, and joint research on migration management and border security.
The Presidency’s clarification comes amid public confusion, as some reports suggested that Nigeria might be required to accept deportees of other nationalities. The government insists that this is not the case and that the agreement concerns only Nigerian citizens.
