Politics
US publishes124 Nigerians facing deportation criminal convictions
THE United States government has published the names and photographs of 124 Nigerians identified for deportation as part of President Donald Trump’s intensified immigration enforcement targeting foreign nationals convicted of crimes.
The list, released by the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Wednesday, identifies the Nigerians among hundreds of foreign nationals described by the agency as the worst of the worst criminal offenders slated for removal from the US.
In a statement accompanying the publication, the department said it was actively working to deliver on Trump’s immigration agenda, beginning with individuals convicted of serious crimes.
“The worst of the worst illegal aliens will be removed first,” the agency stated.
According to the DHS, the deportation exercise forms part of the Trump administration’s broader crackdown on illegal immigration and fulfils the president’s campaign pledge to carry out mass deportations of undocumented immigrants.
The published register contains the names, photographs and criminal offences linked to each individual and most of the Nigerians on the list were convicted of offences including wire fraud, money laundering, theft, fraud, sexual assault, sexual abuse, robbery, aggravated assault, larceny, illegal use of credit cards, possession of prohibited firearms and the sexual exploitation of minors.
However, the DHS did not specify when the deportations would commence or when the affected Nigerians would be returned to their country.
Some of the Nigerians listed include Sunday Adediora, Sunday Kunkushi, Mkpouto Etukudoh, Marcus Unigwe, Olaniyi Ojikutu, Boluwaji Akingunsoye, Ejike Asiegbunam, Emmanuel Mayegun Adeola, Bamidele Bolatiwa, Ifeanyi Nwaozomudoh, Aderemi Akefe, Solomon Wilfred, Chibundu Anuebunwa, Joshua Ineh, Usman Momoh, Oluwole Odunowo, Bolarinwa Salau and Oriyomi Aloba.
Others are Oludayo Adeagbo, Olaniyi Akintuyi, Talatu Dada, Olatunde Oladinni, Jelili Qudus, Abayomi Daramola, Toluwani Adebakin, Olamide Jolayemi, Isaiah Okere, Benji Macaulay, Joseph Ogbara, Olusegun Martins, Kingsley Ariegwe, Olugbenga Abass, Oyewole Balogun, Adeyinka Ademokunla, Christian Ogunghide, Christopher Ojuma, Olamide Adedipe, Patrick Onogwu, Olajide Olateru-Olagbegi and Omotayo Akinto, among dozens of others.
The publication marks the latest step in the Trump administration’s hardline immigration policy since the president returned to office.
Since his inauguration, Trump has signed executive orders declaring illegal immigration a national emergency, expanded immigration enforcement operations and accelerated deportation proceedings for undocumented migrants, particularly those with criminal records.
The administration has also introduced a series of measures affecting Nigerian travellers and migrants. These include expanded visa restrictions covering several categories, proposals to require certain visa applicants to post immigration bonds of up to $15,000, and plans to reduce visa-processing operations across Africa.
Last month, the administration announced plans to scale back visa-processing services at several US diplomatic missions on the continent, a move that could significantly affect visa applicants in Nigeria by limiting available processing locations.
The publication of the deportation list also comes amid a broader tightening of US immigration rules, including proposals requiring some foreign nationals seeking permanent residency to return to their home countries to complete their Green Card applications.
Nanji is an investigative journalist with the ICIR. She has years of experience in reporting and broadcasting human angle stories, gender inequalities, minority stories, and human rights issues. She has documented sexual war crimes in armed conflict, sex for grades in Nigerian Universities, harmful traditional practices and human trafficking.
