Shehu Sani, former lawmaker and Senator in Nigeria’s 8th National Assembly, has urged Nigerians living in the United States without proper documentation to voluntarily return to Nigeria to avoid facing forced deportation.
The activist’s comments come in response to former President Donald Trump’s renewed push for mass deportations, raising concerns among undocumented immigrants, including many Nigerians.
Recent fears have been fueled by social media posts and unverified videos suggesting that the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has been conducting raids in areas popular with African communities.
Sani pointed out that, given the efficiency of the U.S. immigration authorities, Nigerians living unlawfully in the country cannot evade deportation indefinitely. He encouraged them to take the responsible step of returning to Nigeria rather than risk forced removal.
“Nigerians in the US who are hiding from Trump’s deportation efforts should simply return home with humility,” he stated on social media platform X.
The Trump administration has consistently enforced a strict immigration policy, focusing on border security and deportation of those without legal status. This has placed thousands of Nigerians, along with individuals from other countries, in danger of being deported.
