Germany may deport 14,000 Nigerians, Chancellor Scholz warns

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has warned of his country’s intention to deport over 14,000 Nigerians who have been living in the country for some time.

According to the German Chancellor, there has been a significant rise in the number of asylum applications from Nigerians in 2023, and there was the need to regulate them.

He noted that of the 14,000 Nigerians who might be deported, a great majority of them do not have the necessary identification cards that would enable their stay in the European country.

According to statistics, there are approximately 12,500 Nigerians who are in a ‘condition of tolerance’ in Germany as a result of the government’s reluctance to admit people without the necessary identity documents.

While speaking with some Nigerian officials on Tuesday, Scholz emphasized the importance of the two countries working together to resolve the deportation situation.

“We are prepared to collaborate in order to enhance migration,” he was quoted as saying, stressing further that Germany would be happy to send back any Nigerian nationals who have behaved well.

The Nigerian government on its part, is said to be also ready to cooperate with the German government to welcome the potential deportees back to the country.

The fact that a large number of Nigerians in Germany are about to be deported emphasises the difficulties that both countries in the migration process face which include the acknowledgement of asylum claims, the unavailability of identity documents, and the necessity of cooperation.

During his recent visit to Nigeria, Scholz had allegedly told President Bola Tinubu that if Nigeria refuses to accept all the asylum seekers back, his country may decide to stop its 640 million Euros development aid coming to Nigeria.

And while the two countries are still in talks to agree on the modalities to uphold in the course of repatriating the 14,000 Nigerians seeking asylum in Germany, Tinubu has insisted that Nigeria will only attend to those with documentation and those who have proven themselves to be of good conduct.

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