In a rather startling turn of events, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, disclosed on Thursday the United States Government’s efforts to exert pressure on Nigeria to accommodate 300 Venezuelan deportees.
According to Tuggar, some of the deportees are straight from US prisons.
Speaking during during an interview on Channels TV’s Politics Today, the minister emphasized that the government of President Bola Tinubu would not accept any offer that would jeopardise the peace and security of Nigeria, which already has its own problems.
Tuggar also disclosed that the 10 percent tariff imposed on Nigerian goods by the US government under President Donald Trump was not related to Nigeria’s recent participation in the BRICS summit in Brazil.
“The issue of tariffs may not necessarily have to do with us participating in BRICS.
“You have to also bear in mind that the US is mounting considerable pressure on African countries to accept Venezuelans to be deported from the US, some straight out of prison.
“It will be difficult for a country like Nigeria to accept Venezuelan prisoners into Nigeria. We have enough problems of our own.
“We cannot accept Venezuelan deportees to Nigeria, for crying out loud. We already have 230 million people. You will be the same people that would castigate us if we acquiesce to accepting Venezuelans from US prisons to be brought in,” the minister said.
“The issue of accepting Venezuelan deportees, honestly, I don’t think is something that Nigeria is in a position to work with, he said.
“And I think it would be unfair to insist that Nigeria accepts 300 Venezuelan deportees. Maybe that might just even be the beginning.”
Furthermore, the minister disclosed that the Tinubu government has begun discussions with the US about new visa restrictions imposed on Nigerian citizens.He expressed disappointment concerning fresh visa restrictions placed on Nigerian travellers by the United Arab Emirates.