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Coalition Slams US Deportations, Urges FG To Protect Nigerians Abroad

Published

5 months ago

May 9, 2025

A coalition of Nigerian civil society organisations has strongly condemned the ongoing mass deportations of African immigrants from the United States, describing the policy as discriminatory, unjust, and a gross violation of human rights.

The coalition, under the banner of Human Rights Monitors (HRM), is urging the Federal Government of Nigeria and other African nations to act swiftly in protecting their citizens abroad.

The concerns were raised during a press conference in Abuja, organized to highlight the disturbing trend of forced deportations and the global neglect of African migrant rights.

Speaking at the event were Armsfree Ajanaku, Convener and Head of the Grassroots Centre for Rights and Civic Orientation; Austin Aigbe of the West Africa Democracy Solidarity Network (WADEMOS); and other key stakeholders including representatives of CESDA, CESPAD, and the 21st Century Empowerment for Youth and Women.

Ajanaku said, “What we are witnessing is a global retreat from the responsibility to protect the rights and dignity of migrants, especially those of African descent.

“It is disturbing that a country like the United States, which claims to be a beacon of democracy, is leading this wave of human rights abuse.”

Since January 20, 2025, the U.S. has intensified home raids, family separations, detention of immigrants, and deportations—even of those with pending asylum cases or Temporary Protected Status (TPS). The coalition submitted a formal statement to the 58th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva, calling for international intervention.

“These deportations are being conducted without due process. Children are witnessing their parents being forcefully taken, families are being torn apart, and immigrants are being treated like criminals for merely seeking refuge from danger and instability,” said Aigbe.

The coalition referenced reports by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which outline how racial profiling and mass arrests have surged under the U.S. immigration crackdown.

They argue that these actions breach international legal instruments including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and the 1951 Refugee Convention.

“We are deeply alarmed that these actions defy both international law and the domestic laws of the U.S., particularly the Refugee Act of 1980. The principle of non-refoulement is being trampled upon,” the coalition noted in their statement.

Beyond legal violations, the coalition highlighted the economic implications for Nigeria. In 2020 alone, Nigerians in the diaspora remitted over $6 billion to the country.

The HRM coalition warned that deporting thousands of Nigerians will hurt families, the economy, and national development.

“The Federal Government of Nigeria must take immediate diplomatic and humanitarian steps to address this crisis. We are calling for emergency support mechanisms to be put in place for our citizens abroad,” the coalition urged.

The group also emphasized that the root causes of irregular migration must be addressed through good governance at home. They noted that poor socio-economic conditions, insecurity, and lack of opportunities are driving young Africans to risk everything for a better life.

“Africa must not only speak up but act decisively. We can no longer afford to outsource the dignity and security of our people to foreign governments,” the statement said.

The coalition expressed support for the African Union’s 2025 theme: ‘Year of Justice for Africans and People of African Descent Through Reparations.’ They committed to advocating for education, awareness, and reparative justice as essential components of sustainable change.

“The current deportation wave is not just a policy misstep; it is a humanitarian crisis. The time to act is now,” Ajanaku stressed.

Headline

Italy Fines Six Oil Firms $1bn Fine For Restricting Competition

Published

2 hours ago

September 26, 2025

Editor

Italy’s antitrust regulator said Friday it has slapped Italian energy giant Eni and five other companies with fines totalling more than 936 million euros ($1.1 billion) for “restricting competition” in the sale of fuel.

The authority said in a statement that Eni, Esso, Ip, Q8, Saras and Tamoil “coordinated to set the value of the bio component factored into fuel prices”, which tripled between 2019 and 2023.

A probe following a whistleblower’s complaint revealed that “the companies implemented parallel price increases — largely coinciding — which were driven by direct or indirect information exchanges among them”, the authority said.

“The cartel began on 1 January 2020 and continued until 30 June 2023,” it added.

AFP

Headline

Trump Signs Order For TikTok’s Sale, Valued At $14bn

Published

4 hours ago

September 26, 2025

Editor

United States President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order declaring that his plan is to sell TikTok’s US operations to American and global investors.

As reported by Reuters on Friday, the order requires companies bidding for TikTok to meet the national-security requirements of the 2024 law that otherwise would ban the app unless its Chinese owners divest.

Speaking to reporters at an Oval Office briefing on Thursday, Vice President James Vance said the newly created US entity would be “valued around $14 billion.

“We actually think this is a good deal for investors, but they will make a determination about what they want to invest and what they think is the proper value,” he said.

The White House on Thursday pushed back the law’s enforcement date to January 20 to allow time for the transaction, investor commitments, and negotiations with Chinese authorities.

The publication of the executive order shows Trump is making progress on the sale of TikTok’s US assets.

However, details remain to be worked out, including how the U.S. company would handle TikTok’s most valuable asset: its recommendation algorithm.

“There was some resistance on the Chinese side, but the fundamental thing that we wanted to accomplish is that we wanted to keep TikTok operating, but we also wanted to make sure that we protected Americans’ data privacy as required by law,” Vance said.

According to Reuters, Trump’s order says the algorithm will be retrained and monitored by the U.S. company’s security partners, and operation of the algorithm will be under the control of the new joint venture.

Trump said Chinese President Xi Jinping had indicated approval of the plans. “I spoke with President Xi,” Trump said. “We had a good talk, I told him what we were doing, and he said go ahead with it.”

Chinese embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. TikTok did not immediately comment on Trump’s action.

Trump has credited TikTok, which has 170 million U.S. users, with helping him win reelection last year. Trump has 15 million followers on his personal TikTok account. The White House also launched an official TikTok account last month.

“This is going to be American-operated all the way,” Trump said.

He said that Michael Dell, the founder, chairman and CEO of Dell Technologies; Rupert Murdoch, the chairman emeritus of Fox News owner Fox Corp, and newspaper publisher News Corp, and “probably four or five absolutely world-class investors” would be part of the deal.

Headline

14-year-old Dies After Botched Secret Breast Surgery

Published

4 hours ago

September 26, 2025

Editor

A 14-year-old girl has died following a secret cosmetic procedure reportedly carried out by her mother’s boyfriend, a tragedy that her biological father only uncovered after her funeral.

The teenager, identified as Paloma Nicole Arellano Escobedo, died on September 20, 2025, after undergoing a breast enlargement surgery in Tijuana, Mexico, as reported by TMZ on Thursday.

Reports say the operation was arranged by her mother without the knowledge or consent of her father, Carlos Arellano.

Following the surgery, Paloma suffered severe complications that led to cardiorespiratory arrest and brain swelling. She was pronounced dead shortly after.

Her death certificate, however, listed the cause as cerebral oedema caused by a respiratory illness, a claim her father strongly disputes. Information for this report was compiled from multiple sources, including AZ Central.

“Her death certificate falsely stated ‘illness’ as the cause of death in an attempt to cover up the truth,” said Carlos, alleging that the official report was deliberately misleading.

Carlos said he became suspicious after the family received the certificate unusually quickly.

“They gave it to us right away. I don’t know how they did it so quickly,” he said, adding that the speed of the process raised further questions about whether officials were attempting to conceal the true cause of death.

During the funeral, relatives noticed that Paloma’s chest looked noticeably different.

“At the funeral, some relatives told me her breasts were larger than what she had before, and when I mentioned it to her mother, she told me it wasn’t true, that she didn’t know anything,” Carlos told prosecutors, according to AZ Central.

When he asked for a private moment to say goodbye to his daughter, Carlos invited his mother, sister, and sister-in-law to help him examine her body.

“Sure enough: she had breast implants. We have photographs of the implants and the scars. We immediately requested an autopsy,” he said in his official complaint.

Authorities later confirmed that the surgery had allegedly been performed by Dr Víctor Manuel, a 45-year-old plastic surgeon who owned a private clinic in Durango and was romantically involved with Paloma’s mother.

He has since been suspended by the Mexican Association of Plastic, Aesthetic, and Reconstructive Surgeons while the Durango State Prosecutor’s Office investigates the case.

Carlos accused his ex-wife and her partner of lying to him and attempting to conceal the true circumstances of their daughter’s death.

“I demand that all those responsible be investigated,” he said, calling for justice and accountability for everyone involved in the unauthorised surgery and possible cover-up.

Durango’s Attorney General, Yadira de la Garza Fragoso, confirmed that investigators are looking into the role of both the surgeon and the mother.

“We are investigating a probable lack of care on the part of the mother for placing a minor who was under her care and custody in risky situations,” Fragoso said.

The incident has sparked widespread concern over illegal and unsafe cosmetic surgeries involving minors in Mexico. While the country has no explicit national law restricting plastic surgery for those under 18, such procedures typically require the written consent of both parents.

A final autopsy report is pending as authorities continue the investigation.