Nigeria has signed a new deal with the United Kingdom (UK) which will allow Britain deport thousands of failed asylum seekers and criminals to the West African country.
The agreement was signed by Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, minister of interior, and Shabana Mahmood, home secretary, during President Bola Tinubu’s state visit to the UK, the Home Office announced on Thursday.
The new deal will also allow Britain to send visa overstayers to Nigeria and comes with wide flexibility for the English country.
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In accordance with the agreement, the Nigerian government will permit undocumented deportees to utilise UK letters—an alternative form of identity that is given to persons without a valid passport and used to facilitate the repatriation of those who have no legal right to stay in the UK—for the first time.
According to the Home Office, Nigeria’s readiness to accept UK letters as a substitute eliminates one of the main administrative obstacles to sending people back to their home countries.
There was however no indication of the deal’s term or start date. Additionally, it’s unclear if there will be any cash rewards.
A similar agreement was reached in 2022 when the UK agreed to send asylum seekers to Rwanda in exchange for paying the East African country at least £370 million. However, after British Prime Minister Keir Starmer declared the agreement “dead,” it later fell through.
Additionally, it’s unclear if the deportees will be limited to Nigerians or include people of other nations.
According to reports, there are currently 961 unsuccessful Nigerian asylum seekers in this nation who have used up all of their appeals.
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There are also 1,110 foreign national offenders from Nigeria who the Home Office is waiting to deport.
Nigeria’s minister of interior, Tunji-Ojo said Nigeria’s signatory to the deal shows that “we are totally committed to being a responsible country in fulfilling our core obligations”.
“And for us to sustain that relationship, we must remember: ‘He who comes to equity must come with clean hands.’ So, we need to be as open and as fair as possible,” the minister said.
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Alex Norris, UK minister for border security and asylum, stated that Nigeria is a primary partner in tackling illegal migration as the UK’s largest African visa market.
Nigeria is also set to review its laws to tackle immigration crime, ensuring the toughest possible sentences are handed down to offenders.
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