United States government has demanded that Nigeria accept 300,000 Venezuelan deportees as a condition to lift the recent visa restrictions imposed on Nigerian citizens.
This requirement was reportedly conveyed by US Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Mills, during a closed-door meeting with senior Nigerian government officials in Abuja.
The US government recently reduced the validity of non-immigrant visas issued to Nigerian applicants from two years with multiple entries to three months with a single entry.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, rejected the proposal, stating that Nigeria would not serve as a “dumping ground” for migrants unrelated to its geopolitical obligations.
The US Embassy in Nigeria denied any link between the visa policy change and the deportation of Venezuelans, citing a global technical and security review aimed at strengthening the integrity of the US immigration system,
The demand has sparked debate and concern among Nigerians, raising questions about the role of international politics in immigration policy.
The Nigerian government has not officially confirmed the deportee demand but maintains that it will not accept any proposal that undermines the country’s sovereignty or diplomatic integrity