The Presidency has clarified that Nigeria is not required to accept foreign nationals, following misconceptions regarding a new immigration agreement reached during President Bola Tinubu’s state visit to the United Kingdom.
In a statement on Saturday, presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga debunked what he describes as “the raft of misinformation” regarding the agreement, specifically addressing the false claim that irregular migrants from other countries could be deported to Nigeria.
“Nowhere in the 12-page memorandum is Nigeria required to accept foreign nationals other than Nigerians,” the spokesman said.
According to Onanuga, the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on immigration cooperation is “aimed to strengthen the partnership between Nigeria and the United Kingdom.”
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He stated that the MoU, signed by Nigeria’s Minister of Interior and the UK Secretary of State for the Home Department, establishes a framework “to facilitate a regulated and safe migration flow between the two countries and to encourage further bilateral cooperation in the fight against irregular migration and associated acts by citizens of each country, in accordance with their respective immigration and citizenship laws and extant international treaties, conventions, protocols, agreements, and charters.”
The presidency emphasized that the process involves strict vetting. “Nationals to be repatriated must have undergone multiple levels of identification and verification, and, where errors occur, they are returned to the requesting country at the requesting country’s cost,” Onanuga stressed.
He maintained that the UK will ensure “the dignified return of their nationals who do not, or no longer, have the right to enter or remain in the territory of the other country,”and noted that returnees will be treated with“dignity and respect, with due regard to their human rights and fundamental freedoms.”
Key provisions of the MoU outline that migrants returning home “must carry their legally acquired personal belongings,” and that “every returnee will be given ample opportunity to make adequate arrangements for the transfer or disposal of his property in the territory of the requesting party, under the supervision of the mission of the requested party.”
Presidential aide Temitope Ajayi also clarified that the agreement relates only to Nigerians without legal status in the UK.
He noted, “For clarity, it is important to state that the agreement signed by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, during the state visit of President Bola Tinubu on behalf of the government of Nigeria, and Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, on behalf of the UK government, only relates to Nigerians who do not have legal status to live and remain in the UK.”
Ajayi further stated, “Nigerian government is not taking back non-Nigerians. The UK government is not compelling Nigeria to take those who are not our citizens. This clarification becomes necessary because of those who have already revved up their misinformation machinery.”
According to the Ministry of Interior, the arrangement provides “detailed arrangements for the dignified return and reintegration of NIGERIANS who do not have the legal right to remain in the UK.”
This includes “the use of secured travel documentation, case-by-case identity verification, and safeguards for vulnerable individuals and potential victims of trafficking.”
Additionally, the framework sets out “clear definitions, scope, and areas of cooperation, including information sharing, capacity building, training, and joint research on migration management and border security.”
