The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) has confirmed that the Federal Government is prepared to receive deported Nigerians from the United States. Abdur-Rahman Balogun, NiDCOM’s Director of Media and Corporate Affairs, stated that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is overseeing the situation.

An inter-agency committee, comprising the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, NiDCOM, the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, and the Office of the National Security Adviser, has been set up to handle any mass deportation. However, Balogun clarified that NiDCOM is not currently aware of any Nigerians being processed for deportation.

This comes amid a U.S. crackdown on illegal immigrants under Donald Trump’s directive, with 3,690 Nigerians reportedly at risk of deportation. According to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), as of November 24, 2024, over 1.4 million non-citizens have final removal orders, with Mexico and El Salvador leading the list.

Last week, hundreds of migrants were arrested, and others deported as the U.S. launched its mass deportation efforts, potentially affecting Nigerians and other African nationals.