Outrage as Nigerian rights groups slam U.S. deportations of African immigrants, call for urgent action
A coalition of Nigerian civil society organisations has strongly condemned the mass deportations of African immigrants from the United States, calling them discriminatory, inhumane, and a violation of international law.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Friday, May 9, the group—operating under the name Human Rights Monitors (HRM)—urged the Federal Government of Nigeria and other African nations to immediately step up efforts to protect their citizens abroad.
Armsfree Ajanaku, Head of the Grassroots Centre for Rights and Civic Orientation, said:
“What we are witnessing is a global retreat from the responsibility to protect the rights and dignity of migrants, especially those of African descent. It is disturbing that a country like the United States, which claims to be a beacon of democracy, is leading this wave of human rights abuse.”
The coalition revealed that since January 20, 2025, U.S. immigration authorities have ramped up home raids, family separations, detentions, and deportations, even targeting those with pending asylum claims or Temporary Protected Status (TPS).
Austin Aigbe of the West Africa Democracy Solidarity Network (WADEMOS) added:
“These deportations are being conducted without due process. Children are witnessing their parents being forcefully taken, families are being torn apart, and immigrants are being treated like criminals for merely seeking refuge.”
The group cited reports from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) on a rise in racial profiling and mass arrests, calling the crackdown a breach of key global human rights agreements—including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and the 1951 Refugee Convention.
They also submitted a formal complaint to the 58th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva, seeking international intervention.
Beyond human rights violations, the coalition pointed to the economic damage such deportations could cause. In 2020 alone, Nigerians abroad sent home over $6 billion in remittances. Deporting thousands of these citizens, they warned, would disrupt families and hurt Nigeria’s economy and development goals.
“The Federal Government of Nigeria must take immediate diplomatic and humanitarian steps to address this crisis,” the group urged. They also called for emergency support systems for Nigerians facing deportation.
The coalition stressed that Africa must address the root causes of irregular migration—poverty, insecurity, and lack of opportunity—and no longer rely on foreign countries to guarantee the safety and dignity of its people.
In alignment with the African Union’s 2025 theme, ‘Year of Justice for Africans and People of African Descent Through Reparations’, HRM pledged to keep pushing for education, advocacy, and justice-focused reforms.
“This is not just a policy misstep—it’s a humanitarian crisis,” Ajanaku concluded. “The time to act is now.”
