U.S. pressures Africa to accept Venezuelan deportees

12/7/2025 7:03

Nigerian Minister of Foreign Affairs Yusuf Tuggar has said that Washington is exerting "considerable pressure" on African countries, including Nigeria, to accept Venezuelan nationals being deported from the United States, some of whom are directly from prison.



Speaking in an interview with the local Channels Television on Thursday night, Tuggar said Nigeria could not give in to such pressure, signaling a new layer of complexity in diplomatic relations between Washington and African nations.



The foreign minister affirmed Nigeria's firm stance against accepting such deportees, noting the existing socio-economic challenges in Africa's most populous country.



"It will be difficult for a country like Nigeria to accept Venezuelan prisoners into Nigeria. We have enough problems of our own," he said, adding that with a population of more than 200 million people, Nigeria is not in a position to accommodate foreign deportees, especially those with potential criminal backgrounds.