Migration agreement applies strictly to Nigerians residing illegally in UK, not foreigners – Presidency clarify

The presidency on Friday, March 20, clarified that the migration agreement between Nigeria and the United Kingdom (UK), stressing that the deal applies strictly to Nigerians residing illegally in the UK and not foreigners.

Under the agreement, the deportees would comprise failed asylum seekers, criminals, and visa overstayers.

In a statement, Temitope Ajayi, senior special assistant to the president on media and publicity, noted that the deal only relates to Nigerians who do not possess legal status to reside and remain in the UK.

“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 said the clarification was necessary to curb misinformation.

“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,” Ajayi added.

Alao Babatunde, special adviser on media to Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, minister of interior, also confirmed the specificity of the deal.

Babatunde said the agreement would only cover Nigerians, excluding foreign nationals.

Under the agreement, the Nigerian government will, for the first time, accept UK-issued letters, an alternative identification certificate issued to individuals without valid passports, to facilitate their return.

Nigeria had previously used emergency travel documents as supplementary IDs for undocumented citizen travellers.

A separate statement from the ministry of interior noted that the deportation arrangements would be on a case-by-case identity verification.

The ministry noted that the framework also sets out clear definitions, scope, and areas of cooperation, including information sharing, capacity building, training, and joint research on migration management and border security.

Tunji-Ojo emphasized the need for fairness and transparency, saying, “For Nigeria to sustain this relationship, we must remember: ‘He who comes to equity must come with clean hands.’”