Nigeria, UK sign deal for deportation of failed asylum seekers, offenders

Tinubu and Charles

Nigeria has entered into a fresh agreement with the United Kingdom that will enable British authorities to repatriate thousands of failed asylum seekers and convicted offenders to the West African nation.

The deal was formalised by Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo and UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood during President Bola Tinubu’s official visit to Britain, according to a statement released by the Home Office on Thursday.

Tinubu’s visit lasted two days, covering Wednesday and Thursday.

As part of the arrangement, the UK will also be able to return individuals who have overstayed their visas, with the framework offering broad operational flexibility to British authorities.

A key provision of the agreement is Nigeria’s acceptance, for the first time, of UK-issued letters as valid identification for deportees without passports. These documents serve as alternative proof of identity for individuals who lack proper travel papers and are used to facilitate their return.

Previously, Nigeria relied on emergency travel certificates as supporting identification for undocumented travellers.

The Home Office noted that Nigeria’s decision to recognise UK letters removes a significant bureaucratic barrier that has historically delayed deportations.

Details such as the commencement date and duration of the agreement have not been disclosed, and it remains unclear whether the deal includes any financial arrangement.

In 2022, Britain signed a comparable agreement with Rwanda, committing at least £370 million to relocate asylum seekers. However, that plan collapsed after Prime Minister Keir Starmer described it as “dead”.

It is also yet to be confirmed whether the deportation arrangement will apply exclusively to Nigerian nationals or extend to individuals of other nationalities. Vanguard