In what looks like a major development in Nigeria’s relations with the United States of America, Nigeria’s Foreign Minister, Yusuf Tuggar has firmly rejected a request by American President Donald Trump that his country accepts deported Venezuelan nationals into Nigeria. The Venezuelans proposed by Trump include individuals with criminal records.

In rejecting the proposal, Tuggar said Africa’s most populous country cannot absorb foreign prisoners due to its own domestic pressures.

Tuggar revealed the development during an interview with Channels Television late Thursday from Brazil, where he was attending the BRICS summit. He revealed that the U.S. was applying “considerable pressure” on several African nations to accept Venezuelans deported from American prisons.

“You have to also bear in mind that the U.S. is mounting considerable pressure on African countries to accept Venezuelans to be deported from the U.S., some straight out of prison,” Tuggar said.

“It will be difficult for a country like Nigeria to accept Venezuelan prisoners into Nigeria. We have enough problems of our own,” he added, referring to Nigeria’s 230 million-strong population and the challenges of managing its internal affairs.

Tuggar’s comments follow reports that President Donald Trump’s administration, in a recent meeting with five African leaders at the White House, proposed a policy under which African countries would receive third-country nationals being deported from the United States.

According to officials familiar with the discussions, Trump raised the proposal during talks with the presidents of Liberia, Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania, and Gabon. An internal U.S. State Department memo reportedly sent to the African governments before the meeting called on them to accept the “dignified, safe, and timely transfer from the United States” of third-country nationals.

Since returning to office in January, President Trump has prioritized tightening immigration controls and accelerating deportations. In situations where home countries delay or refuse to accept deportees, Washington has increasingly sought third-country options, including African states.

Last week, the U.S. deported eight individuals—seven of whom are not South Sudanese—to South Sudan, despite protests and legal challenges. Among the deported were citizens from Myanmar, Cuba, Vietnam, Laos, and Mexico. Only one of the deportees was actually South Sudanese.

The move sparked controversy and reignited debate about the legality and ethics of relocating foreign nationals to countries where they have no legal or ancestral ties.