Presidency Says UK Asylum Deal Applies Only To Illegal Nigerian Migrants, Not Foreigners
The clarification became necessary following reports
suggesting Nigeria had agreed to accept foreign deportees.
But, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and
Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, in a statement posted on X, explained that the
agreement only concerns Nigerians who lack legal status to live and remain in
the UK.
“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 Ahmed Tinubu, on behalf of
the Government of Nigeria, and the UK Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, only
relates to Nigerians who do not have legal status to live and remain in the UK.
“The 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.”
Ajayi added that the agreement guarantees that returnees who
are Nigerian citizens will be treated with dignity, retain their rights under
domestic law, and may re-enter the UK in the future if they meet applicable
immigration requirements.
Recall that Nigeria on Thursday signed the agreement with
the UK to facilitate the return of failed asylum seekers, visa overstayers, and
convicted offenders, as part of efforts to strengthen migration control and
bilateral ties.
The agreement was signed by Tunji-Ojo and Mahmood during
President Tinubu’s state visit to the UK, according to the UK Home Office.
Under the deal, the UK can return individuals with no legal
right to remain in the country, including failed asylum seekers and foreign
national offenders.
It also introduces administrative measures to ease
deportation, including allowing Nigeria to accept “UK letters”, alternative
identification documents issued to individuals without valid passports, to
speed up the process.
