Olusegun Adeyemo
Former Nigerian Ambassador to the Philippines, Dr. Yemi Farounbi, has praised President Bola Tinubu’s administration for standing firm against pressure from the United States to accept deported Venezuelan migrants.
In an exclusive interview with Journal Nigeria, Dr. Farounbi described the decision as “a display of sound diplomatic judgment,” emphasizing that Nigeria must not be used as a refuge for foreign criminals or unwanted migrants.
“Diplomacy is based on bilateral relationships — you treat me well, I treat you well,” Dr. Farounbi noted. “What we are seeing is not because Nigeria has treated the United States badly. In fact, America still offers five-year visa programs. What used to be two years is now reduced to three, but this is part of a broader trend.”
The ex-envoy was referring to the recent move by the U.S. Mission in Nigeria to shorten the validity of nonimmigrant visas for most Nigerian travelers, a decision that has drawn widespread criticism across the country.
According to Dr. Farounbi, while this change has frustrated many Nigerians, it should not be viewed as a direct diplomatic snub. Instead, he suggests it aligns with global changes in U.S. immigration policy.
He pointed out that U.S. President Donald Trump had initiated an aggressive deportation campaign targeting illegal immigrants, particularly from Venezuela.
“The Trump administration tried to deport quite a number of people with criminal records or undocumented status, especially Venezuelans,” Farounbi explained. “Venezuela refused to receive them back, so now they’re looking for third countries to accept them — and Nigeria is being eyed as one of them.”
“Thankfully, President Bola Tinubu has rejected this pressure,” he added. “He knows what he’s doing.”
He also criticized what he described as the U.S.’s “carrot and stick” approach to diplomacy — rewarding countries that cooperate and penalizing those that don’t.
“Nigeria already has enough of its own challenges. We do not have space to import more crime,” Dr. Farounbi stressed. “We are not a dumping ground.”
The former ambassador’s comments come amid growing concerns over shifting U.S.-Nigeria relations, particularly as the U.S. Mission insists its recent visa policy change is not politically motivated but part of a larger “global security and technical review.”