- Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu: Ensure Humane Treatment Of Nigerians During Deportation
By Kolawole Ojebisi
The United States government has revealed the identities of Nigerians in the United States that would be deported by the government of US President Donald Trump.
This coming just as the federal government urged the United States to ensure Nigerians are humanely treated in the course of executing the policies of Trump’s administration on deportation.
Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu made this appeal during a meeting with the US Ambassador to Nigeria, Ambassador Richard Mills Jr.
She stressed the emotional and financial toll these deportations are having on Nigerians in the US and their families back home. She spoke just as the US Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Ambassador Mills Jr explained that the first set of Nigerian nationals that would be deported include convicted criminals serving various jail terms and those who are living in the US illegally having violated severally the country’s immigration policies, rules and protocols.
According to the Envoy these set of Nigerians include those with removal orders hanging on their necks, stressing that they will be deported to Lagos, Nigeria.
However, the minister of State in a statement signed by her media aide, Magnus Eze, on Sunday stated that “with about 201 Nigerians currently detained in US immigration centres, and about 85 cleared for deportation,” the Federal Government is pushing for a more humane process.
She noted that many Nigerians in the US send vital remittances to families in Nigeria, supporting their survival and funding their education.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu underscored that these deportations, particularly for individuals with no history of violent crime, should not be traumatic or abrupt.
“We are asking as a country whether they will be given ample time to handle their assets or will they just be bundled into planes and repatriated?” she questioned.
The minister also expressed concern about the potential suspension of the US’s Drop Box Visa System, which has allowed Nigerians to renew visas without in-person interviews.
With thousands of Nigerians who rely on this system for travel to the US, Odumegwu-Ojukwu urged the US to clarify its stance and ease the growing anxiety over visa procedures.
“We cannot say whether it’s outright suspension. A lot of NGOs are worried to get clarifications. We will just make that appeal on behalf of the NGOs in Nigeria, even less than a month into the 90 days review, there have been concerns. And I know before the completion of the review, there is already humanitarian issues in Nigeria and Africa.
“We will make an appeal that this initiative be preserved, even if it is abrogated as an agency, there must be a way of keeping the ideals to ensure that the poor beneficiaries in the communities, not just in Nigeria but Africa are not abandoned,” the minister of state appealed.
In response, Ambassador Mills said the Drop Box Visa System has not been cancelled, explaining that the US was undergoing a policy review typical with any new administration.
He noted, “Some of these NGOs are feeling the pains, but the situation is being reviewed.”
On the deportation issue, Mills stated that those to be repatriated would return to Lagos and clarified that most deportees would include convicted criminals or individuals who violated US immigration laws.
“Those to be repatriated would be dropped in Lagos. There would not be room for whether it should be in Port Harcourt or Abuja.
“The first group will be convicted prisoners; those who committed crimes and are in US prisons. Some of them are those who have clearly violated US immigration laws. They appealed but were denied yet they are still in the US. They have committed immigration crime, people who have been ordered to leave.”
Recall that on his first day in office as the 47th President of the United States, Donald Trump signed several executive orders aimed at tightening immigration policies.
These include ending birthright citizenship for children of undocumented immigrants and declaring a national emergency at the US-Mexico border.
He also announced the deployment of more troops to the southern border and reiterated his pledge to deport millions of undocumented immigrants.
