Prof. Nimi Wariboko says a lot of Nigerians now hide over fear of deportation

A Professor at Boston University, Nimi Wariboko, has expressed concerns over the fear gripping Nigerians in the United States due to a sweeping crackdown on undocumented immigrants under the administration of President Donald Trump.

Wariboko shared his thoughts during a virtual appearance on the Friday edition of ”Inside Sources with Laolu Akande” a socio-political program on Channels Television.

“Here, of course, there are a good number of Nigerians that don’t have papers. So, they are worrying,” Wariboko said, describing the anxious atmosphere within the Nigerian community in the U.S. barely three weeks after Trump resumed his second term on January 20th, 2025.

“If you are a pastor, if you are a leader in those communities, you are worried for those people; you have concerns for them. Are they going to be deported? Some of them are hiding, there is that palpable fear that they could be raided.

If you quarrel with your neighbours, they can call the immigration enforcement unit. There is that palpable fear. They are fearful, they are angry, they don’t know what is going to happen.

He also warned that even Nigerians in the U.S. with legal residency or citizenship could face challenges with Trump’s proposed reversal of birthright citizenship laws.

Wariboko argued that the Nigerian government should take a more proactive role in defending its citizens in the United States, as mass deportations could have significant economic repercussions for Nigeria since there are no jobs to accommodate more people.

“For many families, if they didn’t have people abroad; in Europe, in Asia, in the United States or Canada, their economic well-being will be below what they have in the country.

So, if people know that policies are about defending one’s economic interests, then they will defend their fellow citizens because it is in the national interest of Nigeria.”

The professor cited the World Bank’s 2023 report, which revealed that remittances from Nigerians abroad totalled $20 billion, underscoring the critical role the diaspora plays in supporting Nigeria’s economy.