The Federal Government has said it will not accept deported Venezuelans from the United States, especially those coming directly from prison.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, made this known during an interview on Channels Television on Friday. He said the U.S. is putting pressure on African countries to take in Venezuelan deportees, but Nigeria is not in a position to do so.
“It will be difficult for a country like Nigeria to accept Venezuelan prisoners. We already have enough challenges. We cannot take Venezuelans into Nigeria, for crying out loud,” Tuggar said.
He warned that accepting the deportees could open the door for more such requests and place an unfair burden on Nigeria, which already has a population of over 230 million people.
Tuggar also addressed claims that recent actions by the U.S. government, including a 10% tariff on Nigerian exports and visa restrictions, may be connected to President Bola Tinubu’s recent participation in the BRICS summit in Brazil.
According to him, the new trade tariffs and visa policy by the U.S. are likely not linked to Nigeria’s growing relationship with BRICS.
He said Nigeria had always provided fair visa terms to Americans, including five-year multiple-entry visas, unlike the new U.S. rule limiting Nigerians to a single-entry visa valid for only three months.
“We are engaging with the Americans and explaining our position,” Tuggar said, adding that Nigeria’s new e-visa system was designed to improve efficiency and save travellers time.
President Donald Trump had earlier met with five West African leaders—excluding President Tinubu—at the White House. Many observers believed this was a sign of strained relations, but Tuggar insisted Nigeria remains committed to fair and respectful diplomatic engagement.