The Presidency has clarified that the recent deportation agreement between Nigeria and the United Kingdom will apply strictly to Nigerian citizens and does not include foreign nationals.
Under the arrangement, deportees are expected to include failed asylum seekers, convicted criminals, and individuals who have overstayed their visas. However, concerns had emerged over whether non-Nigerians could also be returned under the deal.
In a statement on Friday, Senior Special Assistant to the president on media and publicity, Temitope Ajayi, dismissed such claims.
“Nigerian government is not taking back non-Nigerians. The UK government is not compelling Nigeria to take those who are not our citizens,” Ajayi said.
He explained that the clarification became necessary to address widespread misinformation surrounding the agreement.
“The agreement guarantees that returnees who are citizens of Nigeria will be treated with dignity, rights retention under domestic law, and may re-enter in the future if they meet the applicable immigration requirements,” he added.
Also confirming the development, Alao Babatunde, Special Adviser on media to Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, said the deal is limited to Nigerian nationals.
Babatunde noted that, for the first time, Nigeria will accept UK-issued identification letters—an alternative document for individuals without valid passports—to facilitate the return of its citizens. Previously, authorities relied on emergency travel certificates for undocumented Nigerians.
In a separate statement, the Ministry of Interior said deportations under the agreement would be handled on a case-by-case basis, with proper identity verification processes.
The ministry added that the framework outlines cooperation areas such as information sharing, capacity building, training, and joint research on migration management and border security.
Tunji-Ojo emphasised the importance of fairness in implementing the agreement, stating, “we must remember: ‘He who comes to equity must come with clean hands’,” while urging transparency in the process.
