FG Prepares for Possible Deportation of Nigerians from the US, NiDCOM Says

The Federal Government has expressed readiness to welcome Nigerians who may be deported from the United States, according to the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM). In an interview with Vanguard on Tuesday evening, the Director of Media and Corporate Affairs of NiDCOM, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, revealed that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was overseeing developments regarding deportations, should they occur.

Balogun further clarified that the Federal Government has already established an inter-agency committee to address the issue in the event of a mass deportation of Nigerians from the US. The committee comprises NiDCOM, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, and the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA).

“Should there be mass deportation of Nigerians from the US, the Federal Government has set up an inter-agency committee,” Balogun explained. However, he noted that as of now, NiDCOM was not aware of any Nigerians in the US currently undergoing deportation proceedings.

The warning comes after reports that approximately 3,690 Nigerians are at risk of deportation due to a crackdown on illegal immigrants under the Trump administration. The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) revealed that the list of those facing deportation includes non-citizens from various countries, with Mexico and El Salvador topping the list.

ICE has a responsibility to manage immigration enforcement and national security, with a recent update showing over 1.4 million non-citizens with final removal orders, many of whom are on ICE’s non-detained docket.

In response to increasing deportation activities, hundreds of migrants were arrested last Thursday, with others flown out of the country on military aircraft as part of the Trump administration’s mass deportation efforts. While no specific action has yet been taken regarding Nigerian nationals, there are concerns that African immigrants, including Nigerians, could be targeted in future operations.