No Clause Compels Nigeria to Accept Foreign Deportees in UK Deal – Presidency Fires Back

The Nigerian Presidency has firmly dismissed claims that the recent migration agreement with the United Kingdom obliges Nigeria to accept foreign nationals, insisting the deal strictly applies to Nigerian citizens.

In a statement issued on Saturday, presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga said the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed during President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s state visit was being widely misinterpreted.

According to him, “nowhere in the 12-page memorandum is Nigeria required to accept foreign nationals other than Nigerians.”

He explained that the agreement was designed to strengthen bilateral cooperation on migration management and facilitate the return of nationals who have no legal right to remain in either country.

“The MoU… aimed to strengthen the partnership between Nigeria and the United Kingdom” and to ensure “a regulated and safe migration flow between the two countries,” the statement added.

Onanuga further clarified that only verified Nigerian citizens would be repatriated under the deal, stressing that identity checks are rigorous and multilayered.

“Nationals to be repatriated must have undergone multiple levels of identification and verification,” he said, noting that any wrongly returned would be sent back at the requesting country’s expense.

The Presidency also emphasized that the agreement guarantees humane treatment of returnees. It stated that both countries are committed to “the dignified return” of their nationals, with full respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.

The clarification follows public concerns sparked by reports suggesting Nigeria had agreed to receive deportees of other nationalities as part of the pact.

Officials, however, reiterated that the arrangement mirrors previous agreements and focuses solely on Nigerians without legal status abroad, including visa overstayers and failed asylum seekers.

They added that the framework also provides reintegration support for returnees, including accommodation, welfare assistance, and access to education or entrepreneurship programmes to ease their transition back into society.

The migration deal forms part of broader efforts by Nigeria and the UK to deepen cooperation on border control, tackle irregular migration, and strengthen diplomatic ties.