Nigeria Rejects U.S. Pressure to Accept Venezuelan Deportees

Nigerian Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar has said his country is under increasing pressure by the U.S. government to accept Venezuelan deportees. The minister said Nigeria’s refusal might have been the reason behind the U.S imposition of the 10% tariff on the country.

“You have to also bear in mind that the U.S. is mounting considerable pressure on African countries to accept Venezuelans to be deported from the US, some straight out of prison,” Tuggar said, stressing that his country has “enough problems of our own”.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday met with five African leaders. The meeting did not include Nigerian President Bola Tinubu. At the meeting, Trump announced a 10% tariff on Nigerian goods exported to the U.S. – a move analysts have said is a retaliation for Nigeria’s participation in the BRICS summit in Rio.

U.S media reported that many countries, including several in Africa, were approached by the Donald Trump administration to accept deportees, “including criminals”, as part of a broader push against illegal immigration into the U.S.