THE federal government has revealed that 201 Nigerian nationals are currently being held in United States immigration camps, with 85 individuals already cleared for deportation.
Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, disclosed this development during a courtesy visit by the U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Mills Jr., at the Tafawa Balewa House in Abuja.
The meeting, held to discuss immigration and diplomatic relations, was confirmed in a statement issued on Monday by the minister’s media aide, Magnus Eze.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu expressed concerns over the treatment of Nigerians facing deportation and urged the U.S. government to adhere to international conventions that guarantee dignity during repatriation.
“With the new administration in the U.S., we want a situation where there will be commitments. If there will be repatriation, we want dignified return,” the minister said.
She emphasized the need to ease the trauma of those being deported by granting them sufficient time to manage their assets and make necessary arrangements before departure.
“At the moment, we’re told that about 201 Nigerian nationals are in U.S. immigration camps, and about 85 have been cleared for deportation.
“Will there be any way of ameliorating their pains? This has been of great concern not just to Nigerian nationals in the U.S. but also to family members in Nigeria who depend on them for survival”, she said.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu further highlighted the emotional and financial distress the deportations could cause, particularly for families who rely on remittances from these individuals to cover essential expenses like school fees.
“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? It will really be traumatic, especially for those who have not committed any violent crime,” she said.
In response, U.S. Ambassador Mills assured the minister that the deportation process would be conducted in accordance with international standards.
He clarified that the individuals being repatriated include convicted criminals and those who have violated U.S. immigration laws.
“The first group will be convicted prisoners — those who committed crimes and are in U.S. prisons. Some of them have clearly violated U.S. immigration laws. They appealed but were denied, yet they are still in the U.S.,” Mills explained.
He added that the deported individuals would be flown to Lagos, where Nigerian authorities are expected to receive and process them.