Nigeria Raises the Bar: 170 foreigners face tough citizenship screening

The Federal Government says 170 foreigners have applied to become Nigerian citizens but only those with “strong character and impeccable integrity” will be approved.

The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, revealed this in Abuja after a meeting of the Citizenship Advisory Committee, which reviews and recommends citizenship applications to President Bola Tinubu for approval.
Tunji-Ojo stressed that Nigerian citizenship is a privilege, not a right.

“Anyone who wants to be called a Nigerian must show honesty, good behavior, and true love for the country,” he said.

He explained that a top-level screening team  made up of officials from the Department of State Services (DSS), Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Ministry of Justice, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs  will carefully review all applications before final approval.

According to the minister, the Tinubu administration wants to ensure that only people who will make Nigeria proud are granted citizenship.

“We want a nation that inspires pride, trust, and respect both among our citizens and across the world,” Tunji-Ojo added.

Meanwhile, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) announced that 153 Nigerians who voluntarily returned from Chad have safely arrived in Lagos.

The returnees  brought home under the Assisted Voluntary Return Programme coordinated by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM)  landed at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport on Sunday, October 27, 2025, aboard an ASKY Airlines flight.

NEMA said the group included 105 adults (63 men and 42 women), 45 children (25 boys and 20 girls), and three infants, all girls. Immigration officers immediately registered and profiled them upon arrival.

The agency provided the returnees with food, water, medical care, and counselling to help them settle back home.

It also assured that the federal government remains committed to ensuring the safe and dignified return of all Nigerians abroad who wish to come home.

The joint operation was supported by the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), as well as other partners.