FG ready to receive Nigerians deported from the US – NiDCOM

The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) has confirmed that the Federal Government is prepared to receive Nigerians who may be deported from the United States following President Donald Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigrants.

NiDCOM’s Director of Media and Corporate Affairs, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, stated in an interview on Tuesday that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is handling the situation. He also revealed that the government has set up an inter-agency committee, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, NiDCOM, the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, and the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), to manage the expected deportation.

However, Balogun clarified that NiDCOM has not received official information about Nigerians currently being processed for deportation.

Reports indicate that 3,690 Nigerians are at risk of being deported as part of Trump’s mass deportation exercise. A US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) report shows that these individuals are among 1,445,549 non-citizens with final removal orders as of November 24, 2024.

Last Thursday, the US government intensified its deportation operations, arresting hundreds of migrants and using military aircraft to expel undocumented individuals. There are concerns that Nigerians and other African migrants could be the next group targeted for removal.