Six Nigerians have been deported from the United States over various criminal offences, as part of a broader immigration crackdown by the U.S. government.
The deportees arrived in Lagos on Wednesday morning via a Delta Airlines flight, which touched down at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport just before 9 a.m. They were received by officials from Nigerian security and immigration agencies who are now processing them for further investigation and possible prosecution.
According to reports, their removal is part of a larger plan by U.S. authorities to deport at least 3,000 Nigerians involved in different crimes across the country.
This latest deportation wave follows a renewed push by the administration of former President Donald Trump—who returned to office earlier this year—to tighten immigration enforcement nationwide.
Within his first 100 days in office, President Trump has revived aggressive policies aimed at identifying and removing undocumented and criminal immigrants.
He has authorized arrests in sensitive locations such as schools and courthouses, and significantly increased workplace immigration raids.
Speaking earlier this month, Trump’s border czar Tom Homan said workplace immigration arrests have already tripled and are expected to triple again under the administration’s expanded enforcement orders.
On Monday, President Trump signed a fresh executive order directing Attorney General Pam Bondi and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to publish by May 28 a list of “sanctuary cities”;; that the administration says are obstructing federal deportation efforts.
The order also demands that federal agencies identify and potentially suspend funding to the jurisdictions.
The U.S. embassy in Nigeria has yet to issue a formal statement on the latest deportations.
Meanwhile, Nigerian authorities are expected to carry out background checks on the returnees and determine appropriate legal actions, if any.
