The Venezuela Solidarity Campaign in Nigeria, a coalitions of civil society, trade union, women and youth groups have commended the Federal Government for rejecting plans by the United States government to deport Venezuelan prisoners to Nigeria.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar had revealed the US attempts last week, saying, “It will be difficult for a country like Nigeria to accept Venezuelan prisoners into Nigeria. We have enough problems of our own”.
Nigeria, like many nations committed to justice and non-interference, stands with the people of Venezuela and affirms the importance of respecting their sovereign leadership and the principles of mutual respect among nations, the group said.
According to Comrade Gerald O Katchy, National Secretary, Committee for the Defence of Human Rights, Comrade Dimeji Macaulay, Coordinator of the Anti-Fascist Movement; Comrade Blessing Yusuf, Chairperson of the Federation of Informal Workers of Nigeria (FIWON); Mr. Charles A Chibuike Executive Director of Committed Advocates Of Integrity Initiative (CADII); and Mr Abiodun Emmanuel Fayemi, Head, African Farmers and Agricultural Practitioners (AFAP), the attempts by the US to deport Venezuelans to Nigeria are a violation of international laws and against human dignity. We also condemn the vicious attacks on immigrants by the Trump administration.
“We commend the Nigerian government, particularly the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, for its firm and principled stand against the insulting demand that Nigeria accepts people being tossed out of the US. This stand not only upholds Nigeria’s sovereignty but also affirms our country’s long-standing commitment to international law, diplomatic ethics, and global justice.
“Nigeria has no bilateral arrangement that warrants receiving deportees or prisoners who are neither its citizens nor have legal ties to the country or even the African continent. We call on all African countries to reject the neo-colonial world order the troubled Trump administration want to impose on our universe.
” We also affirm that any US attempt to offload Venezuelan citizens unto Nigeria shall be resisted.
“We equally use this this medium to urge the US and its key political actors including President Donald Trump and his allies — to respect the sovereign will of the Venezuelan people by lifting its illegal sanctions on Venezuela and allowing the democratically elected government of President Nicolás Maduro to carry out its electoral mandate.
“The American establishment should know that any move to delegitimize a democratically elected government undermines global stability and sets a dangerous precedents.
‘We call on the US regime to end all political and economic sanctions against the Maduro administration. This is actually the root cause of the crisis in that country that has made some Venezuelans to leave the country in search of greener pasture..
“It is also because President Trump refuses to recognise President Nicolas Maduro as the President of Venezuela that has prompted the US to violate the sovereignty of other by his decision deport the Venezuelans across the world.
“We are sure that President Maduro will gladly welcome any Venezuelan deported from the US or any other country.
“The US regime had begun this shameful act in March 2025 when it deported over three hundred Venezuelans to El Salvador and bribed El Salvador’s government led by President, Nayib Bukele with six million dollars.
“This is the new human slavery that we must all reject as humans.
“We call on Nigerians and people around the world to reject these Neo-fascist, neo-colonial and inhuman attacks on human dignity and freedom.”
