The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, has revealed that the United States is pressuring African countries, including Nigeria, to accept Venezuelan deportees.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday, Tuggar expressed strong opposition to the request, especially as some of the deportees being proposed for relocation are ex-convicts.
“The U.S. is mounting considerable pressure on African countries to accept Venezuelans to be deported from the U.S., some straight out of prison,” he said.
“It will be difficult for a country like Nigeria to accept Venezuelan prisoners. We already have enough problems of our own,” he added.
“For crying out loud, we already have over 220 million people. You’ll be the same people to castigate us if we accept them.”
Tuggar warned that accepting deportees from Venezuela could set a troubling precedent and stressed that it would be unfair for the U.S. to insist on such an arrangement.
“The issue of accepting Venezuelan deportees is not something Nigeria can work with. It would be unfair to insist that we take in 300 Venezuelans. That might just be the beginning,” he said.
The minister also addressed concerns over the recent 10 per cent tariffs imposed on Nigerian goods by President Donald Trump’s administration, clarifying that the decision may not be linked to President Bola Tinubu’s alliance with BRICS nations.
“The issue of tariffs may not necessarily have to do with us participating in BRICS,” he noted.
Tuggar further dismissed the U.S. claim that its new visa policy for Nigerians is based on reciprocity, saying the assertion is misleading.
He explained that Nigeria continues to issue five-year multiple entry visas to U.S. nationals, while also upgrading to electronic visa processing to improve efficiency.
“We’re engaging the Americans and reminding them that we offer five-year multiple entry visas to their citizens. Our 90-day visas are mostly for first-time or short-term visitors, not every American,” he said.
Tuggar added that the introduction of e-visas was aimed at simplifying the application process, especially after challenges with the visa-on-arrival system.
He reiterated that Nigeria’s visa approach is not retaliatory but a reflection of evolving immigration processes.
