Nigeria confirms UK deportation agreement applies solely to citizens

The Nigerian Presidency has clarified that its recent agreement with the United Kingdom on the return of undocumented migrants does not include foreign nationals, stressing that only Nigerian citizens without legal status abroad will be repatriated.

Under the arrangement, deportees are expected to include failed asylum seekers, convicted offenders, and individuals who have overstayed their visas.

However, concerns had emerged over whether the agreement could extend to non-Nigerians residing in the UK.

Addressing the issue in a statement on Friday, Temitope Ajayi, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, dismissed such claims, describing them as misinformation.

“The Nigerian government is not taking back non-Nigerians. The UK government is not compelling Nigeria to take those who are not our citizens,” Ajayi said.

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He explained that the agreement strictly applies to Nigerian nationals who lack legal residency status in the UK, adding that the clarification was necessary to prevent public misunderstanding.

Ajayi further assured that the framework includes provisions to protect the rights of returnees, stating that affected individuals would be treated with dignity and retain their legal rights under Nigerian law.

He added that such individuals may be allowed to re-enter the UK in the future if they meet the required immigration criteria.

Also confirming the scope of the deal, Alao Babatunde, Special Adviser on Media to the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, reiterated that the agreement applies exclusively to Nigerians.

Babatunde disclosed that, for the first time, Nigeria would accept UK-issued letters as alternative identification documents for deportees who do not possess valid passports. These documents will serve as a substitute means of identification to facilitate their return.

Previously, Nigerian authorities relied on emergency travel certificates as supplementary identification for undocumented citizens abroad.

In a separate statement, the Federal Ministry of Interior Nigeria explained that deportations under the agreement would be conducted on a case-by-case basis, with proper identity verification required before any individual is repatriated.

The ministry noted that the broader framework also outlines areas of cooperation between countries, including information sharing, capacity building, training, and joint research on migration management and border security.

Speaking on the importance of fairness in implementing the agreement, Tunji-Ojo emphasised the need for transparency and mutual respect in international relations.

“For Nigeria to sustain this relationship, we must remember: ‘He who comes to equity must come with clean hands,’” he said.

The clarification comes amid growing public interest in the deportation deal, as authorities seek to reassure citizens that national sovereignty and legal protections remain central to Nigeria’s migration policies.