Nigerians without valid documentation to be in the UK will now be easily deported home following the signing of an agreement between the two countries.
The agreement means that the Nigerian government will now recognise UK letters – an identification document issued to individuals without a valid passport – so people will no longer have to wait for emergency travel documents to be issued before they can be returned, the BBC reports.
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The UK Home Office, in a statement on Thursday, said the deal was signed by Nigeria’s Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, and the UK Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood.
PREMIUM TIMES reports that the agreement was signed during President Bola Tinubu’s state visit to the UK, during which he was hosted by King Edward III at Windsor Castle and also met with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Mr Tunji-Ojo and several other officials accompanied the president on the visit.
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Thousands of Nigerians live and work legally in the UK. However, many also overstay their visas and are thus considered to be in the UK illegally. Some have also been convicted of crimes and asked to leave the UK, while there are also many whose asylum request was denied. The latest agreement will make it easier to return the last three categories to Nigeria.
“Anyone who abuses our systems, breaks our laws or tries to cheat their way into Britain will be stopped and removed,” the Home Office quoted UK Minister for Border Security and Asylum, Alex Norris, as saying. “Today’s agreement is another step in our mission to restore order to the border by ensuring those who have no right to be here are swiftly removed.”
In his reaction to the agreement, Mr Tunji-Ojo was quoted as saying, “For us, as a country, we keep saying that we are totally committed to being a responsible country in fulfilling our core obligations.
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“It is good that we are starting this with the UK. This relationship with the UK means a lot to Nigeria. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has shown great commitment to this.”
Tinubu’s State Visit
President Tinubu’s state visit to the UK opened with a ceremonial welcome at Windsor Castle on Wednesday.
Mr Tinubu and his Wife, Remi Tinubu, were treated to a 42-gun salute by the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery.
Senior royals, including the Queen Consort and the Prince and Princess of Wales, had earlier greeted them.
Mr Tinubu and his wife, Remi Tinubu, arrived at London’s Stansted Airport on Tuesday. They were received with all the pomp of a royal reception, beginning with a carriage procession followed by a formal military parade in Windsor Castle.
In a post on X, the Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to President Tinubu, Bayo Onanuga, disclosed that Prince William and Princess Catherine welcomed the President and his wife at the Fairmont Hotel.
The Wednesday meeting marked the first day of the two-day meeting with King Charles III.
In his speech at the event, the British king said Nigerians have enriched British culture.
READ ALSO: Nigeria’s creative economy drives growth, Tinubu says
“From Afrobeats filling our concert halls and Nollywood captivating our screens, to stars competing in our Premier League and adjudicating our highest courts, so much of Britain’s culture is, in truth, profoundly enriched by Nigeria,” he said.
Mr Tinubu has visited the UK several times since taking office in 2023, but this is his first state visit and the first by a Nigerian leader to the United Kingdom in 37 years.
According to the Nigerian Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, this meeting is about “turning a historic relationship into a modern economic partnership – transforming trust into opportunity.”
“Nigeria’s economic reforms are unlocking the potential of Africa’s largest consumer market. The United Kingdom is a natural partner in what comes next.
“This visit marks the next step in deepening cooperation across trade, finance and defence,” he noted.
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