Latest news with #Tuggar
Arabian Post
12-07-2025
- Politics
- Arabian Post
US Push Meets Nigerian Rebuff
Nigeria's foreign minister, Yusuf Tuggar, has accused the United States of mounting significant pressure on African countries to accept deported Venezuelans, including individuals released directly from US prisons—a demand Nigeria says it cannot meet given its own domestic challenges. Speaking from Brazil at the BRICS summit on 11 July, Tuggar emphasised that with a population of roughly 230 million and pressing socio-economic issues, Nigeria cannot shoulder such responsibilities. The diplomatic row follows a White House meeting on 9 July where President Trump met leaders of Liberia, Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania and Gabon. Reports indicate that Trump and senior officials, including immigration hardliner Stephen Miller, pressed for 'safe third‑country agreements' to which deported migrants would be sent when direct repatriation proved difficult. Internal US documentation reportedly urged African governments to permit 'dignified, safe, and timely transfers' of third‑country nationals from the US. One example includes the placement of eight deportees in South Sudan—only one of whom was South Sudanese—prompting concerns over legality, transparency and human rights. ADVERTISEMENT Tuggar asserted there is a direct link between US pressure to accept deportees and Washington's punitive measures against Nigeria, including a recent 10 per cent tariff on Nigerian exports. He also addressed newly imposed US visa restrictions—Nigerians are now limited to single-entry, three-month non‑immigrant permits, down from previous multi-year visas—which he described as being tied to Nigeria's refusal to comply. Responding to the visa policy, Tuggar clarified that Nigeria has maintained reciprocal visa flexibility for US citizens and implemented only an e‑visa system to streamline entry. He characterised US claims of reciprocity as a 'false claim' and said diplomatic engagement continues to resolve misunderstandings. Liberia's President Boakai and other West African leaders reportedly refrained from publicly endorsing US demands. Liberia's foreign minister stated that discussions about third‑country deportations were preliminary and did not signal agreement. Civil society and rights advocates have sharply criticised the policy, warning it treats African nations as 'dumping grounds' for deportees and raises human rights concerns. US officials argue the arrangements could serve mutual interests, enhancing trade and diplomatic relations amid a shift away from traditional aid. Analysts suggest African participation may be conditional on incentives such as tariff relief or improved visa access. Control Risks analyst Beverly Ochieng notes that some countries might cooperate 'to avoid losing access to the US economy or economic initiatives and bilateral relations'. Legal developments are also shifting the landscape. A US Supreme Court decision upheld the federal government's authority to deport migrants to third countries, even without direct repatriation. Meanwhile, previous attempts—such as the UK–Rwanda deal—have faltered due to legal pushback, with critics highlighting similar human rights concerns. As pressure increases, Nigeria stands firm that it lacks the capacity to absorb deportees with criminal histories. Tuggar warned that acquiescing could set a dangerous precedent, amplifying future expectations for hosting foreign detainees. Attempts by the US to negotiate policy changes appear to be part of a broader strategy to leverage migration control in reshaping relations with African nations.
Miami Herald
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
‘Can't do nothin' for you, man': Nigeria rejects U.S. pressure to accept deported Venezuelans
Nigeria's foreign minister has delivered a pointed rebuke to the United States, rejecting what he described as mounting pressure from Washington to accept deported Venezuelan nationals — including some with criminal records — as part of a controversial third-country resettlement plan. Speaking during a nationally televised interview Thursday night, Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar said it would be 'unfair' and 'unrealistic' for Nigeria to absorb hundreds of Venezuelan deportees who have no ties to the West African country. He added that Nigeria, with a population exceeding 230 million, is already dealing with its own internal challenges. 'We already have enough problems of our own,' Tuggar said. 'We cannot accept Venezuelan deportees in Nigeria, for crying out loud.' To emphasize his point, he quoted a line from American rapper Flava Flav of the 1990s hip-hop group Public Enemy: 'Flava Flav has problems of his own. I can't do nothin' for you, man.' Tuggar's candid remarks follow reports that the Trump administration is lobbying several African nations to accept deportees who cannot be sent back to their home countries — Venezuela chief among them — due to diplomatic or logistical hurdles. According to documents reviewed by The Wall Street Journal, the U.S. has approached at least five West African countries with formal requests to take migrants whose repatriation has stalled. Nigeria, one of the most populous and strategically important countries in Africa, is the first to publicly reject the proposal. The tug of war over deportations reflects a broader shift in U.S. immigration policy, where enforcement is increasingly intersecting with international diplomacy. The idea: If certain countries won't take back their citizens—whether due to political tensions or human rights concerns—third-party nations would be asked to accept them instead. Critics of the policy, including U.S. immigration advocates, have called it 'migrant dumping.' 'It would be unfair for Nigeria to accept 300 Venezuelan deportees,' Tuggar reiterated. 'You would be the same people criticizing us if we agreed.' The issue resonates particularly in Florida, home to one of the largest Venezuelan expatriate communities in the United States. South Florida, in particular, has become a focal point for immigration and asylum cases related to Venezuela's ongoing humanitarian crisis. Nigeria is not alone in rejecting Washington's approach. Liberia's Foreign Minister, Sara Beysolow Nyanti, told the BBC this week that her country had not agreed to accept deported Venezuelans and was not in negotiations with the U.S. over such an arrangement. 'We have not had discussions about deportees or criminals coming to Liberia,' she said. Still, the Trump administration appears determined to expand the use of 'safe third country' agreements, including in Africa. At a White House summit with five West African leaders on Wednesday, Trump expressed hope that the U.S. could reduce visa overstays and 'make progress on safe third-country agreements.' Earlier this month, the U.S. deported eight people to South Sudan following a legal standoff that left them stranded in Djibouti for several weeks. Invoking the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, the Trump administration deported a group of 230 Venezuelans in March to El Salvador, accusing them of being criminals or members of the feared Tren de Aragua gang. They have been incarcerated at the CECOT maximum-security prison, although critics argue that those sent were selected without any real evidence that they had done anything wrong other than trying to seek refuge in the United States. While the administration's plans to send unwanted migrants to third countries was challenged in court, a U.S. Supreme Court ruling issued in June made it easier for the government to proceed. In a brief, unsigned order that did not explain its reasoning, the court put on hold a federal judge's ruling that said affected immigrants nationwide should have a 'meaningful opportunity' to argue they would face torture, persecution, or death if sent to countries the administration has designated to receive deportees. As a result, the administration will be able to proceed with rapid removals to such third countries. Affected immigrants can still attempt to bring individual claims in court, but only on a case-by-case basis. 'The ramifications of the Supreme Court's order will be horrifying,' said Trina Realmuto, executive director of the National Immigration Litigation Alliance, one of the groups that brought the legal challenge. 'It strips away critical due process protections that have been shielding our class members from torture and death.'
Business Insider
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Business Insider
U.S. counters Nigeria's claims linking visa policy to BRICS, illegal migrant deportations
The United States has dismissed speculation that its recent reduction in visa validity for most Nigerian applicants is politically motivated or connected to Nigeria's foreign policy positions, including its resistance to U.S. deportation programs or perceived affiliations with global alliances such as BRICS. The United States denies allegations that reducing visa validity for Nigerian applicants is politically motivated. Nigerian officials criticized the policy, linking it to external pressures like deportation agreements and geopolitical alignments. The U.S. clarified that the changes are part of a global review to enhance visa system security, unrelated to BRICS affiliations or deportation issues. The clarification follows growing accusations from the Nigerian government, which claimed the recent visa restrictions were a response to its refusal to accept undocumented migrants, particularly Venezuelans, from the United States. Nigeria's Foreign Affairs Minister, Yusuf Tuggar, criticized the move, stating that the country is not in a position to manage external migration burdens at this time. ' It would be difficult for countries like Nigeria to accept Venezuelan prisoners into Nigeria. We have enough problems of our own; we cannot accept Venezuelan deportees to Nigeria. We already have 230 million people, ' Tuggar said. Initially, the visa restriction, part of broader policy changes affecting several African nations, was widely speculated to be linked to their growing alignment with BRICS. President Donald Trump had recently threatened tariff hikes on countries he accused of supporting BRICS in ways that could undermine U.S. trade policies. Taken together, the visa restrictions and trade threats were seen by some analysts as part of a broader U.S. effort to push back against what Washington views as an emerging multipolar alliance, one that includes a rising Africa seeking to redefine its global role. U.S. govt clarifies intent In a statement issued via its official X page, the U.S. Mission clarified that the recent reduction in visa validity for Nigerian applicants is part of a broader, ongoing global review of how countries utilize U.S. visas. ' This reduction is not the result of any nation's stance on third-country deportees, introduction of e-visa policies, or affiliations with groups like BRICS, ' 'The reduction in validity is part of an ongoing global review of the use of U.S. visas by other countries using technical and security benchmarks to safeguard U.S. immigration systems. ' the statement read.
DW
11-07-2025
- Politics
- DW
Nigeria rejects US pressure to accept deported Venezuelans – DW – 07/11/2025
President Donald Trump has threatened Nigeria with higher tariffs and visa changes. Nigeria has enough problems of its own, says its foreign minister. Nigerian Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Tuggar on Friday said that his country would not bow to increasing US pressure to accept deported Venezuelans as President Donald Trump wants them to do. Tuggar said Trump was attempting to strong-arm African nations. "You have to also bear in mind that the US is mounting considerable pressure on African countries to accept Venezuelans to be deported from the US, some straight out of prison," said Tuggar in an interview on Nigerian television. "It will be difficult for a country like Nigeria to accept Venezuelan prisoners into Nigeria. We have enough problems of our own," said the foreign minister. "The issue of accepting Venezuelan deportees, honestly, I don't think is something that Nigeria is in a position to work with." One reason Trump may be using rougher tactics with Nigeria is its membership in the BRICS+ political and economic bloc. Created in 2006 by the acronym-giving countries Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, the BRICS club has grown to include developing nations such as Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and accounts for roughly 37% of global economic output. Nigeria joined the 11-member BRICS+ bloc in January and President Bola Tinubu attended the group's July 6-7, 2025, summit. As the summit wrapped up, Trump announced that the US would slap 10% punitive tariffs on imports from BRICS+ countries. Tuggar, however, said it was unclear if recent US measures were directly related to Nigeria's participation in the summit, which Trump slammed as an "anti-American" event. Nigerian President Tinubu was not among those African leaders invited to the White House on Wednesday when Trump welcomed the presidents of Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mauritania and Senegal. Liberian and US sources reported that Trump used the opportunity to ask each to take in third-country migrants deported from the US. The this week reported that the US State Department sent a document to African leaders invited to Wednesday's White House event calling on them to agree to the "dignified, safe, and timely transfer from the United States" of third country nationals. Trump has repeatedly sought — at times successfully — to send immigrants he is unable to deport home to third-country nations instead. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Speaking of the US pressure campaign, Tuggar said: "I think it would be unfair to insist that Nigeria accepts 300 Venezuelan deportees. Maybe that might just even be the beginning." The foreign minister did not expand on what asks might come next but addressed one of the other tools the Trump administration has employed as a means to leverage US advantage, brushing off US claims of that its new visa policy is reciprocal. The US Mission in Nigeria this week announced updates to non-immigrant visa policy for Nigerians. Tuggar says the only change Nigeria has made is that 90-day visas are now issued electronically rather than upon arrival — as in the US. The change he said, is intended to streamline the process and make it more efficient. Tuggar added: "We are talking to the Americans. We are engaging them. We are also explaining and reminding them that we issue" visas the same way that they do. "Our visa doesn't say that every American is only being given 90-day visas or three months or whatever. We give Americans… there are loads of Americans that have these long-term visas… it is not based on reciprocity."
DW
11-07-2025
- Business
- DW
Nigeria rejects pressure to accept deported Venezuelans – DW – 07/11/2025
Nigeria has said it rejected US pressure to accept deported Venezuelans despite President Donald Trump's threats of higher tariffs and visa changes. Nigeria has enough problems of its own, says its foreign minister. Nigerian Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Tuggar on Friday said that his country would not bow to increasing US pressure to accept deported Venezuelans as President Donald Trump wants them to do. Tuggar said Trump was attempting to strong-arm African nations. "You have to also bear in mind that the US is mounting considerable pressure on African countries to accept Venezuelans to be deported from the US, some straight out of prison," said Tuggar in an interview on Nigerian television. "It will be difficult for a country like Nigeria to accept Venezuelan prisoners into Nigeria. We have enough problems of our own," said the foreign minister. "The issue of accepting Venezuelan deportees, honestly, I don't think is something that Nigeria is in a position to work with." One reason Trump may be using rougher tactics with Nigeria is its membership in the BRICS+ political and economic bloc. Created in 2006 by the acronym-giving countries Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, the BRICS club has grown to include developing nations such as Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and accounts for roughly 37% of global economic output. Nigeria joined the 11-member BRICS+ bloc in January and President Bola Tinubu attended the group's July 6-7, 2025, summit. As the summit wrapped up, Trump announced that the US would slap 10% punitive tariffs on imports from BRICS+ countries. Tuggar, however, said it was unclear if recent US measures were directly related to Nigeria's participation in the summit, which Trump slammed as an "anti-American" event. Nigerian President Tinubu was not among those African leaders invited to the White House on Wednesday when Trump welcomed the presidents of Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mauritania and Senegal. Liberian and US sources reported that Trump used the opportunity to ask each to take in third-country migrants deported from the US. The this week reported that the US State Department sent a document to African leaders invited to Wednesday's White House event calling on them to agree to the "dignified, safe, and timely transfer from the United States" of third country nationals. Trump has repeatedly sought — at times successfully — to send immigrants he is unable to deport home to third-country nations instead. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Speaking of the US pressure campaign, Tuggar said: "I think it would be unfair to insist that Nigeria accepts 300 Venezuelan deportees. Maybe that might just even be the beginning." The foreign minister did not expand on what asks might come next but addressed one of the other tools the Trump administration has employed as a means to leverage US advantage, brushing off US claims of that its new visa policy is reciprocal. The US Mission in Nigeria this week announced updates to non-immigrant visa policy for Nigerians. Tuggar says the only change Nigeria has made is that 90-day visas are now issued electronically rather than upon arrival — as in the US. The change he said, is intended to streamline the process and make it more efficient. Tuggar added: "We are talking to the Americans. We are engaging them. We are also explaining and reminding them that we issue" visas the same way that they do. "Our visa doesn't say that every American is only being given 90-day visas or three months or whatever. We give Americans… there are loads of Americans that have these long-term visas… it is not based on reciprocity."
