He emphasized that Nigeria is unlikely to accept such deportees, especially if they are prisoners.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, has revealed that the United States is pressuring African countries, including Nigeria, to accept Venezuelan deportees—some of whom are prison inmates.
Tuggar made the disclosure during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday, July 10.
“You have to bear in mind that the US is mounting considerable pressure on African countries to accept Venezuelans to be deported from the US, some straight out of prisons,” Tuggar stated.
He emphasized that Nigeria is unlikely to accept such deportees, especially if they are prisoners.
“It will be difficult for Nigeria to accept Venezuelan prisoners into Nigeria,” the minister said.
Tuggar also briefly addressed claims linking Nigeria’s trade tariffs to its involvement in BRICS, saying, “The issue of tariffs may not necessarily have to do with us participating in BRICS.”
The statement comes amid broader diplomatic conversations between the US and African nations regarding migration, prisoner transfers, and international cooperation.