Fraud-related offences are the most common category listed against 134 Nigerians on a United States immigration enforcement register, an analysis of the records shows.
The Nigerians are among foreign nationals identified by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement and listed by the Department of Homeland Security on its “Worst of the Worst” register.
The latest update added 10 Nigerians in August, bringing the total on the register to 134. This followed the publication of records involving 124 Nigerians in July.
The register identifies people arrested by ICE and lists the offences associated with their cases.
An analysis of the 134 records shows that fraud, including wire and mail fraud, appeared in 59 records, making it the most frequently listed broad category.
Money laundering followed with 17 records. Sex offences and theft or larceny each appeared in 16 records.
Identity theft was also listed in 16 records, while assault and other violent offences appeared in 24 records.
Drug-related offences featured in 10 records, while conspiracy was listed in seven cases.
Immigration-related offences, including illegal re-entry, alien smuggling and flight to avoid prosecution, appeared in six records.
Other offences, including weapons offences, forgery, computer crimes, counterfeiting, driving under the influence and public-order offences, appeared in 18 records.
Offences listed
- Fraud, including wire and mail fraud: 59 records
- Assault and violent offences: 24 records
- Other offences: 18 records
- Money laundering: 17 records
- Identity theft: 16 records
- Sex offences: 16 records
- Theft and larceny: 16 records
- Drug offences: 10 records
- Conspiracy: Seven records
- Immigration-related offences: Six records
The figures are based on the offence descriptions contained in the US records and do not represent a count of convictions.
They also do not mean that each person was involved in only one offence. Several individuals have multiple offences listed against them.
For instance, Temitope Bashua is listed for wire fraud, identity theft and fraud.
Chukwuemeka Okorocha is listed for wire fraud, dangerous drugs, possession of a weapon and aggravated assault.
Similarly, Chukwuemeka Chinye is listed for fraud involving a banking-type institution, larceny, identity theft and conspiracy.
The records also include a range of violent and sexual offences.
These include rape, sexual assault, sexual offences involving children, kidnapping, aggravated assault, robbery and manslaughter.
Drug-related entries include cocaine and heroin offences, drug trafficking, possession of dangerous drugs and marijuana-related offences.
The DHS has described the register as identifying criminal immigrants arrested by ICE.
However, the status of individual cases varies. An offence appearing in a record should therefore not be treated as proof that the person was convicted of that offence.
The category totals also exceed 134 because some records contain multiple offences.
The August update did not state when the 10 newly listed Nigerians would be deported.
The July publication similarly did not provide specific deportation dates for the 124 Nigerians listed at the time.