The Federal Government has clarified the terms of the Nigeria-UK migration agreement, firmly dismissing claims that the country will be forced to accept foreign nationals.
The clarification follows widespread misinformation surrounding the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed during President Bola Tinubu’s recent state visit to the United Kingdom.
In a statement issued on Saturday, presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga said the agreement does not compel Nigeria to admit non-citizens under any circumstance.
No obligation to accept foreigners
According to the Presidency, the migration framework strictly applies to the return of verified nationals of either country. It emphasised that only individuals confirmed through multiple identification processes would be eligible for repatriation.
“Nowhere in the agreement is Nigeria required to admit foreign nationals,” the statement stressed.
The MoU was signed between Nigeria’s Ministry of Interior and the UK Home Office to strengthen cooperation on safe, orderly and regulated migration, while tackling irregular migration and related crimes.
Safeguards and human rights protections
The agreement guarantees that all returns will be conducted in a dignified manner, with full respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.
It also ensures that individuals with pending legal or human rights claims will have their cases properly reviewed before any action is taken.
In cases of mistaken identity, the requesting country is required to readmit the affected individual at its own cost within a specified timeframe.
Property rights and improved return process
A major highlight of the agreement is the provision allowing returnees to travel with their legally acquired belongings, a shift from past deportation practices.
Returnees will also be given adequate time to arrange the transfer or disposal of their property before departure.
Detailed procedures for repatriation include pre-departure checks, biometric verification, and coordination between both countries using scheduled or chartered flights.
Nigeria retains full control
The Presidency stressed that Nigeria maintains full sovereignty over its immigration processes.
The Nigeria Immigration Service remains solely responsible for issuing travel documents and managing all return procedures, independent of any UK-issued documentation.
Reintegration support for returnees
The agreement also outlines structured reintegration support, including immediate assistance such as reception and accommodation, nedium-term support like access to social services and family reunification, long-term opportunities through education, vocational training and entrepreneurship.
The MoU is valid for an initial five-year period and may be renewed. It builds on previous migration agreements signed between Nigeria and the UK in 2012, 2017 and 2022.
The Federal Government urged media organisations to verify complex policy issues to curb the spread of misinformation.
![Rev. Fr. Anthony Odiong, a US-based Nigerian Louisiana Catholic priest, was arrested in Florida on Tuesday for possessing child pornography, according to law authorities. The suspect is reportedly accused of many other cases of sexual assault. The Waco, Texas, Police Department announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that officers detained Father Anthony Odiong in Ave Maria, Florida, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Waco police announced in March that they had received "credible information" about a sexual assault allegedly committed by Odiong in Texas in 2012. “During the subsequent investigation, a case of possession of child pornography was uncovered,” the police said. The priest was apprehended in Florida by the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Waco Police Department said that he will be extradited to Texas. Odiong had previously served in the Archdiocese of New Orleans before being removed as priest in December of last year due to controversy over homilies in which he claimed, among other things, that the Catholic Church was being taken over by "the gays." At the time, the priest was also accused of abusive behaviour; a Louisiana lady claimed in U.S. bankruptcy court that Odiong had committed both financial and sexual abuse against her. Prior to joining the New Orleans Archdiocese, Odiong served in at least two Texas parishes. On Tuesday, Waco police stated that during their sexual assault investigation, "the presence of other survivors was revealed." “Multiple women have come forward to tell similar experiences as the sexual assault survivor who reported the initial allegation,” the police department said. “Survivors’ experiences ranged from sexual assault and indecent assault, more commonly recognised as groping, and financial abuse, with some survivors experiencing every element of Anthony Odiong’s manipulation.” The police said they “believe there may be more survivors, and we wish to speak with anyone who [has] had similar encounters” with the priest. The Archdiocese of New Orleans issued a brief news release on Tuesday noting Odiong's arrest in Florida. The archdiocese “encourages anyone with any information to contact law enforcement,” the release said.](https://chronicle.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ezgif-6-4730550ede-450x300.jpg "Odiong: US-based Nigerian Catholic priest convicted over sexual assault")
