US deports 380 Nigerians weekly, says cleric

An American citizen Bishop Abiodun Mayungbo, at the weekend said no fewer than 380 Nigerians are being deported by the United States government every week over various offences, ranging from lack of relevant travelling papers, illicit trade and other offences.


He said the American government has made available an aircraft that would carry all those who violate the country’s regulation on immigration to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, saying despite the humiliation, many young Nigerians still travel abroad without the necessary papers.

Although the cleric agreed that the nation’s economy is bad, he said it’s growing. He said that there is still hope, adding that there was no need for youths to be hell bent on traveling, even when there are better opportunities for them in the country.

Mayungbo, who is the founder of Bible Life Holiness Church in Ibadan, made the revelation at the weekend during a news conference he addressed on his latest book, entitled “How to live well abroad.”

The cleric, who said he was one of the first set of Nigerians who won the USA Visa Lottery in 1994, frowned at a situation where hundreds of Nigerians are being deported from foreign countries over various offences.

He urged the government to intensify public campaigns that would discourage young Nigerians from travelling abroad in search of greener pasture.

“I believe if young people must travel they must have relevant immigration documents, so that they would not go out there to mess themselves up,” he said.

The cleric said: “There should be a forum to inform young people and guide them about travelling abroad. They should be told that there are no jobs abroad. They should think of what they can do here rather than travelling abroad for jobs that are not available.”

Mayungbo noted that having travelled widely, the book was his contributions to guide Nigerians who are bent on travelling abroad on what it takes to live well abroad without running into trouble. “