The German government has revealed plans to deport close to 30,000 Nigerians seeking asylum in the country.

This was made known on Tuesday in Abuja, by the Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Diaspora and Foreign Affairs, Hon. Abike Dabiri Erewa, during a speech at a program, titled; “Developing a mixed migration strategy for UNHCR Nigeria.” 

She said,

“Germany said it has about 25,000 to 30,000 Nigerians seeking asylum and they can’t guarantee they will get it. So, there is every possibility that they will be returned to Nigeria.” 

She said the decision was taken after the country discovered that the reasons given by Nigerians seeking asylum were not genuine.

The SSA to the president further stated that some Nigerians who are from the East and West are claiming they are running away from Boko Haram while some others say they are gays and were having challenges expressing themselves in their country.

She said a date has not yet been set for the deportation of the asylum seeking Nigerians, noting that Germany has already set up a team working with the ministry of foreign affairs to see how the whole process of deportation can be made easier.

Hon. Dabiri Erewa, however, noted that Germany is offering more scholarships and easier process of regular migration for Nigerians, and appealed to young Nigerians to watch out for those opportunities and take advantage of them.

She said,

“We are looking at the option of reverse migration also where you can actually stay in your country and enjoy everything you are migrating abroad to get.”

According to her, irregular migration is no longer working because foreign countries are also having their own challenges.

Hon. Dabiri Erewa assured that Nigeria government was already doing much to tackle the issues that are encouraging irregular migration.

She said,

“We are fighting corruption, insecurity and trying to revive the economy.”