(MENAFN) Nigeria has announced it will not take in foreign migrants deported from the United States, despite other African nations agreeing to such arrangements, local media report. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Kimiebi Ebienfa said the country is dealing with “multiple domestic challenges” and cannot assume “additional baggage” from abroad.

Ebienfa emphasized Nigeria’s sovereignty, stating that decisions on deportees are made only after careful consideration of national security implications. The statement comes as the Trump administration seeks third-country agreements to deport migrants it considers security threats.

Recently, Rwanda agreed to accept up to 250 deportees in exchange for a US grant, while Eswatini and South Sudan also received deported individuals after refusing to cooperate initially. Nigerian officials criticized Washington’s visa restrictions and tariff measures, describing them as coercive tactics rather than reciprocal actions.

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