The Foreign Minister of Nigeria, Yusuf Tuggar has voiced out concerns on high pressure being placed on Africa by the United States to accept Venezuelan deportees, some straight out of prison, but have been denied entry by their home countries.
The Minister indicated that Africa’s most populous country, Nigeria could not accommodate them due to its own problems.
President Donald Trump’s administration this week asked five African presidents visiting the White House to take in migrants from other countries when deported by the U.S., two officials familiar with the discussions told Reuters.
The Minister in an engagement with the local news outlets, emphasized the efforts of the Nigerian government being focused on solving its own issues and will not accept any deportees from the United States.
“You have to also bear in mind that the U.S. is mounting considerable pressure on African countries to accept Venezuelans to be deported from the U.S., some straight out of prison,” he said from Brazil where he was at a BRICS summit.
“It will be difficult for a country like Nigeria to accept Venezuelan prisoners into Nigeria. We have enough problems of our own,” noting his nation’s 230 million strong population.
The White House did not respond to requests for comment.
Since returning to office in January, Trump has been pressing to speed up deportations, including by sending migrants to third countries when there are problems or delays over sending them to their home nations.
Yusuf Tuggar, the Nigerian foreign minister, told local Channels TV late on Thursday that Nigeria could not accept that.
“You have to also bear in mind that the U.S. is mounting considerable pressure on African countries to accept Venezuelans to be deported from the U.S., some straight out of prison,” he said from Brazil where he was at a BRICS summit.
“It will be difficult for a country like Nigeria to accept Venezuelan prisoners into Nigeria. We have enough problems of our own,” noting his nation’s 230 million strong population.
The White House did not respond to requests for comment.
Since returning to office in January, Trump has been pressing to speed up deportations, including by sending migrants to third countries when there are problems or delays over sending them to their home nations.
