UK to deport foreign criminals to Nigeria in deal Tinubu signed with Starmer

Nearly a year after President Bola Tinubu’s administration rejected overtures from the U.S. government to shelter 300 Venezuelan prisoners and deportees, Mr Tinubu on Thursday signed an agreement with the UK to allow the British government to dump foreign criminals and failed asylum seekers on Nigerian soil.

The UK Home Office announced the landmark deal on Thursday, stating Nigeria’s partnership to help decongest the UK and rid the British territory of illegal immigrants, including those without a valid passport.

“Visa overstayers, foreign criminals and failed asylum seekers will be removed from British soil far more easily under a new agreement struck this week during the state visit of Nigeria’s President, Bola Tinubu,” the UK Home Office announced in a statement.

For the first time in history, illegal UK immigrants without a passport will be assigned “UK letters” as the alternative travel identification document to fast-track their deportation to Nigeria.

The Home Office said UK letters “will be recognised by the Nigerian government for the first time”.

Foreign affairs minister Yusuf Tuggar denounced the U.S. government over a deportation deal in July 2025 after claiming the Donald Trump administration approached Nigeria to accept 300 Venezuelan prisoners.

Mr Tuggar went as far as quoting the lyrics of a defunct U.S. rap group to buttress his opinion that Nigeria had enough problems of its own and could not accommodate foreign prisoners.

“In the words of the famous US rap group Public Enemy… You’ll remember a line from Flava Flav – a member of the group – who said: ‘Flava Flav has problems of his own. I can’t do nothin’ for you, man’, ” the minister said.

His remarks came amid diplomatic tensions after the U.S. Department of State reduced five-year multiple-entry visas for Nigerian non-immigrants to single-entry visas valid for three months, a move Mr Tuggar suggested was linked to Nigeria’s refusal of the request.

Nigerians continue to endure an active U.S. ban that restricts visa processing for students and tourists seeking to travel to America for academic or tourism purposes, including football fans who wish to watch the World Cup later this year.