Reported by Simon Daniel Yusuph l Journalist at Weng Global
The number of Nigerian nationals appearing on a United States immigration-enforcement register has risen to 134, following the addition of 10 Nigerians to a list maintained by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
The public register, maintained through U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), identifies non-U.S. citizens whom American authorities have arrested in connection with criminal offences and who are subject to immigration enforcement.
The latest additions include Nigerians associated with cases involving wire fraud, identity theft, child-related offences, drug violations, weapons offences, assault, conspiracy and larceny.
Fraud and other financial offences feature prominently among the cases involving Nigerians on the expanded register.
However, the publication of a person’s name on the register does not by itself establish that the person has been convicted of every offence listed against them. It also does not mean that all 134 Nigerians have already been deported.
10 Nigerians Added to US Register
The latest update, reported in late August 2026, added 10 Nigerian nationals to the DHS register.
Those listed are Temitope Bashua, Ojehoro Lewis, Osemudiamen Kingsley Oziegbe, Daniel Oworen, Raymond H. Ekevwo, Franklin Dikeocha, Johnson Ogunlana, Chukwuemeka Okorocha, Tunde Korede and Chukwuemeka Chinye.
According to the information reported from the DHS register, Bashua was listed in Allenwood, Pennsylvania, in connection with wire fraud, identity theft and fraud.
Oziegbe was listed in Louisville, Kentucky, in connection with wire fraud, while Ekevwo was listed in Oxford, Wisconsin, also in connection with wire fraud.
Ogunlana, listed in White Deer, Pennsylvania, was associated with fraud and identity theft.
Chinye, held in Pollock, Louisiana, was listed in connection with larceny from a banking-type institution, fraud, larceny, identity theft and conspiracy.
Other cases on the latest update involve offences unrelated to financial crime.
Lewis was listed in Conroe, Texas, in connection with cruelty toward a child, while Dikeocha was listed in Dallas over a sex offence involving a child.
Oworen was listed in Conroe in connection with dangerous drugs.
Okorocha, listed in Allenwood, Pennsylvania, was associated with wire fraud, dangerous drugs, weapon possession and aggravated assault.
Korede was listed in Allenwood in connection with conspiracy.
Number Rises From 124 to 134
The latest development follows a larger DHS publication in July 2026, when 124 Nigerians were listed on the same register.
The addition of 10 more Nigerians brought the reported Nigerian total to 134.
The PUNCH reported that the July publication contained the names and photographs of 124 Nigerians, while the August update added the latest 10 names.
The expanded number has attracted attention in Nigeria because Nigerians constitute the largest national group from West Africa represented on the publicly reported register.
A later regional breakdown reported that 134 Nigerians appeared on the list, followed by 111 Liberians and 44 Ghanaians.
The figures relate specifically to people included in the DHS/ICE register and should not be interpreted as statistics about Nigerians living in the United States generally.
Fraud Features Prominently Among Listed Cases
Financial crimes are among the recurring offences associated with Nigerians on the register.
The latest additions include several cases involving wire fraud, fraud and identity theft.
Earlier entries also include Nigerians associated with financial crimes.
Among those previously reported on the register are individuals linked to wire fraud, mail fraud, money laundering and identity theft.
The prominence of financial offences has contributed to the description of fraud as a major feature of the Nigerian entries, although the register contains a much broader range of alleged or recorded offences.
These include drug-related violations, weapons offences, assault, crimes involving children, conspiracy and larceny.
The range of offences demonstrates that the register is not exclusively focused on financial crimes.
What the DHS Register Actually Shows
The distinction between being listed and being convicted is important.
The DHS register identifies people arrested by ICE and provides information about offences associated with their cases.
Being included on the register therefore should not automatically be presented as proof that every allegation against an individual has resulted in a criminal conviction.
The PUNCH specifically reported that neither the July list nor the subsequent August additions provided deportation dates or timelines for the individuals listed.
Consequently, the phrase “face deportation” is more precise than stating that all 134 Nigerians have been deported.
The individuals remain subject to the relevant U.S. immigration and legal processes.
US Immigration Enforcement Intensifies
The register forms part of a broader U.S. immigration-enforcement policy under the administration of President Donald Trump.
DHS has described the database as part of its effort to highlight foreign nationals whom it considers serious criminal offenders and has linked the initiative to the administration’s broader deportation programme.
The department has said its enforcement efforts are beginning with people it categorises as serious criminal offenders.
ICE is responsible for immigration enforcement within the United States, including identifying and detaining certain non-citizens who may be subject to removal under U.S. immigration law.
The publication of names and photographs has made individual immigration cases more visible to the public.
Nigerians Among Wider West African Register
The Nigerian entries form part of a wider database involving nationals from several West African countries.
A regional breakdown reported after the latest updates put the total number of people from 16 West African countries at 427.
Nigeria accounted for 134 entries, followed by Liberia with 111 and Ghana with 44.
Other countries represented included Cape Verde, Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Niger, Sierra Leone, Togo, Guinea, Mali, Guinea-Bissau and Benin.
The figures show that the U.S. immigration enforcement database covers multiple nationalities and is not specifically directed at Nigerian nationals.
Importance for Nigerians in the United States
The development is significant for Nigerians living in the United States because immigration status and criminal proceedings can have serious consequences for non-citizens.
A person facing criminal charges may also face immigration proceedings depending on the circumstances of the case, the person’s immigration status and applicable U.S. law.
The publication of names on the DHS register therefore highlights the interaction between criminal proceedings and immigration enforcement.
It also demonstrates the importance of distinguishing between an arrest, a criminal charge, a conviction and an immigration removal order.
Those are separate legal stages and do not necessarily produce the same outcome.
Public Attention and Reputation Concerns
The release of the names and photographs has also generated discussion in Nigeria about the conduct of Nigerian nationals abroad and the potential effect of criminal cases on the wider Nigerian community.
However, individual cases should be treated individually.
The conduct alleged or established in one case cannot automatically be attributed to Nigerians generally.
The overwhelming majority of Nigerians living, studying and working in the United States are not represented by the individuals appearing on the register.
For responsible reporting, the distinction is important because the DHS list concerns specific individuals and specific immigration-enforcement cases.
What Happens Next
The Nigerians listed remain subject to the applicable U.S. legal and immigration processes.
The DHS and ICE register does not provide a single deportation date for all 134 Nigerians.
Some individuals may have ongoing criminal or immigration proceedings, while others may have different legal circumstances depending on their individual cases.
Further updates from U.S. immigration authorities could change the composition of the public register as cases progress and additional individuals are added or removed.
For Nigerians following the development, the key point is that the 134 figure represents people appearing on a U.S. immigration-enforcement register, not 134 Nigerians already deported from the United States.
The cases also demonstrate why information about criminal allegations should be reported carefully, with a clear distinction between what authorities allege, what courts have established and what remains subject to legal proceedings.
Weng Global – Stories beyond borders
Sources
- U.S. Department of Homeland Security — “Worst of the Worst” immigration-enforcement register.
- U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) — Immigration enforcement information.
- The PUNCH — Reports on the July and August 2026 additions of Nigerian nationals to the DHS register.
- Legit.ng — Report on the expanded list of 134 Nigerians.
- Vanguard — Report on the 10 Nigerians added to the DHS register.
- Citi Newsroom — Regional breakdown of West African nationals appearing on the U.S. register.
