Sierra Leone Accepts Nigerians Deported from the United States

Sierra Leone has agreed to receive Nigerian nationals being deported by the United States, said the country’s foreign minister to Reuters.

The Nigerians are among hundreds of West African migrants affected by the Trump administration’s latest agreement aimed at accelerating removals.

According to Timothy Kabba, the first flight of so‑called third‑country deportees is scheduled to arrive on 20 May, carrying 25 nationals from Senegal, Ghana, Guinea and Nigeria.

“Sierra Leone signed a Third Country National Agreement with the U.S. to accept 300 ECOWAS citizens per year, with a maximum of 25 a month,” Kabba said, referring to the West African regional bloc.

The U.S. has previously transferred third‑country deportees to African states such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea and Eswatini, drawing criticism from legal experts and rights groups over the legal basis for the transfers and the treatment of deportees sent to countries where they are not nationals.

Sierra Leone’s policy of accepting only deportees from ECOWAS member states mirrors Ghana’s approach. Reuters has reported that deportees sent to Ghana, Equatorial Guinea and other African countries have subsequently been compelled to return to their home nations, even after court‑ordered protection in the United States intended to prevent such returns.

It is unclear whether the deportees in Sierra Leone will be allowed to stay. A government spokesperson has not yet responded to a request for comment, and Kabba did not disclose what, if any, compensation Sierra Leone would receive for accepting the deportees.

“It’s part of our bilateral relationship with the U.S. to assist with its immigration policy,” he said. Reuters

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